LIBRARY 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

SANTA  BARBARA 

PRESENTED  BY 

Ml SS  PEARL  CHASE 


%ty  ©ptumst's  #ooti 
JStgfjt 


Compiled    by 

Martnte  ijnbart  Prrtn 


Boston 
?Ctttlr,  Srntmt,  anfc  Company 

1922 


Copyright,  igio, 
By  Little,  Brown,  and  Company. 


All  rights  reserved 


(Urorge  £.  and  (Srnrge  21.  3r. 


SUknotDlctjgmcntg 

The  compiler  takes  pleasure  in  acknowledging  her 
indebtedness  to  the  authors  and  publishers  who  have 
so  generously  granted  permission  to  use  extracts 
from  their  copyrighted  publications.  Among  these 
are  Harper  &  Bros.,  The  Outlook  Co.,  Houghton, 
Mifflin  &  Co.,  for  extracts  from  the  poems  of  Edward 
Rowland  Sill  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Deland;  to  The 
Century  Co.,  for  a  selection  from  "  The  World  I 
Live  In,"  by  Miss  Helen  Keller;  to  J.  L.  Nichols 
&  Co.,  for  poems  from  "  The  Life  and  Works  of  Paul 
Laurence  Dunbar";  to  Florence  Earle  Coates  for 
poems  from  her  volume"  Lyrics  of  Life  ";  to  Denis  A. 
McCarthy,  Associate  Editor  of  the  Sacred  Heart 
Review,  Boston,  for  extracts  from  "  Voices  from 
Erin  ";  G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons,  for  selections  from 
Christus  Victor  by  Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge;  to 
John  Vance  Cheney  for  selections  from  his  volume 
entitled  "Poems";  to  Elliot  Stock,  London,  Pub- 
lisher, for  selections  from  "  Light  on  the  Problems  of 
Life"  by  Archdeacon  Basil  Wilberforce;  to  Charles 
Scribner's  Sons  for  selections  from  "  The  Story  of 
the  Psalms,"  "  The  Builders  and  Other  Poems," 
"  Sermons  to  Young  Men,"  "  Little  Rivers,"  "  The 
Poetry  of  Tennyson,"  "  The  Toiling  of  Felix  and 
Other  Poems,"  "  Out  of  Doors  in  the  Holy  Land,"  by 
Henry  Van  Dyke;  to  E.  P.  Dutton  Co.  for  extracts 
from  The  Hepworth  Year  Book;  to  Henry  Nehemiah 
Dodge  for  selection  from  "  Mystery  of  the  West  "; 
to  Robert  Loveman  for  selections  from  "  A  Book  of 
Verses";  to  Charles  B.  Newcomb  for  extracts  from 

Principles  of  Psychic  Philosophy,"  and  to  Horace 
Traubel  for  selections  from  the  poems  of  Walt 
Whitman. 


preface 

The  days  are  noisy  and  there  is  much  feverish 
rushing  to  and  fro,  and  hurrying  on  aimless  feet. 
What  with  the  noise  and  the  hurry  and  worry  many  of 
us  are  in  danger  of  losing  all  conscious  Divine  Com- 
munication. Faith's  whisper  in  the  heart  is  lost  in 
the  uproar  of  life's  tumult.  Hence  the  necessity 
for  a  little  pause  at  the  end  of  the  day  for  the  readjust- 
ment which  comes  through  thought  and  prayer. 
"  The  Optimist's  Good  Morning,"  published  a  few 
years  ago,  was  meant  to  be  a  help  to  busy  people 
to  begin  the  day  with  God.  "  The  Optimist's  Good 
Night  "  now  goes  forth  with  the  hope  that  it  may 
be  as  useful  in  helping  many  to  close  the  day  with 
God. 

Florence  Hobart  Perin. 


Xtst  of 
gutjjors  of  ^elections 


Adams,  John  Coleman,  262. 
Aldrich,  T.  B.,  298. 
Anatolius,  Saint,  56. 
Appleton,  Everard  Jack,  71. 
Augustine,  Saint,  267. 
Aurelius,  Marcus,  79. 
Austin,  Katharine  H.,  42. 

Babcock,  Maltbie  D.,  318. 

Baldwin,  Mary,  103. 

Bangs,  John  Kendrick,  12,  102,  137,  329,  359. 

Bates,  Charlotte  Fiske,  37. 

Beecher,  Henry  Ward,  33,  35,  43,  46,  65,   136,  219, 

258,  266,  306,  366. 
Bisbee,   Frederic  A.,  236. 
Bridgman,  L.  B.,  118. 
Bronte,  Charlotte,  160. 
Brooks,  Phillips,  II,  109,   173,  214. 
Browning,   Elizabeth  Barrett,  182,   196,  301. 
Browning,  Robert,  175,  316,  322,  367. 
Buchanan,  James,  276. 
Bulkeley,  Benjamin  R.,  259. 
Bunyan,   John,  27. 
Burns,   Robert,   288. 
Burroughs,  John,  278. 
Burroughs,  Ophelia  G.,  207. 
Burton,  Richard,  54,  302,  333, 
Butts,  Mary  F.,  32,  203,  282. 
Byron,  Lord,  62. 


Xll 


Stttttjor*  of  Stttcttous 


Cary,  Alice,  14,  134,  139,  300,  313. 

Cary,  Phoebe,  322. 

Casson,    Charles    W.,    357. 

Casterline,  Helen  A.,  83. 

Cawein,  Madison,  246. 

Chadwick,  J.  W.,  153. 

Cheney,   Ednah  Dow,   144. 

Cheney,  John  Vance,  240,  243,  284,  354,  364. 

Child,  Mrs.  L.  M,  176. 

Clarke,  James  Freeman,   167. 

Clough,  Arthur  Hugh,  237,  347. 

Coates,  Florence  Earle,  68,  76,  78,  185,  211,  275,  337. 

Cobb,  Henry  N.,   135. 

Cocke,  Zitella,  17. 

Coleridge,  Hartley,  85. 

Coleridge,   Samuel  Taylor,  356. 

Cone,  Helen  Gray,  154 

Conklin,  Hazen,  336. 

Cooke,  Edmund  Vance,  60. 

Coolidge,  Susan,  36,  174. 

Cowper,  William,  292. 

Craik,  Dinah  Mulock,  165. 

Dandridge,  Danske,  124. 

Davis,  Minnie  S.,  158. 

Davis,  Robert,  66. 

Dawson,  W.  J.,  58. 

Deas,  Lizzie,  216. 

DeGirardin,  106. 

Deland,  Margaret,  25,  224. 

DeVere,  Aubrey,  10. 

Dickens,  Charles,  101. 

Dickinson,  Emily,  127. 

Dickinson,  M.  L.,  67. 

Dodge,  Mary  Danforth,  361. 

Dodge,  Henry  Nehemiah,  19,  100,  120,  128,  142,  147, 

291,  311. 
Dole,  Charles  F.,  101,  146,  193. 
Dolson,  Eugene  C,  81. 
Drummond,  Henry,  112. 
Dunbar,  Aldis,  317. 
Dunbar,  Paul  Laurence,  20,  86,  172,  293,  310. 


Ilttttjors  of  Selections 


Xlll 


Eliot,  George,  52,  245. 

Elmendorf,  Mary  J.,  349. 

Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo,  54,  229,  307,  320. 

Epictetus,  228. 

Faber,  Frederick  W.,  130. 
Felkins,  Ellen  T.  F.,  178. 
Felt,  Inez  May,  77. 
Field,  Eugene,  21,  328. 
Field,  Gertrude  Rugg,  34. 
Field,   Michael,  6. 
Finch,  Lucine,  264. 
Fleming,  Paul,  231. 
Franklin,  Benjamin,  7. 

Gannett,  William  C,  161,  166. 
Garrett,  Edward,  162. 
Garrison,  Theodosia,  84. 
Gilder,  Richard  Watson,   160. 
Goethe,  280,  320. 
Gordon,  Alexander,  179. 
Greenwell,  Dora,  351. 
Gross,  Mary  G.,  234. 
Gustafson,  Z.  B.,  94. 
Guthrie,  Thomas,  237. 

Hale,  Edward  Everett,  72. 

Hall,  Bolton,  16. 

Hamilton,   Gertrude  Brooke,   150. 

Hamilton,  James,  235. 

Harney,  James  Clarence,  191. 

Hedbrook,  Andrew,  185. 

Henley,   William   Ernest,  64. 

Hepworth,  George  H.,  96,  148,  162,  165,  208,  341. 

Herbert,  George,  7. 

Hillis,  Newell  Dwight,  295. 

Hoerr  de  Packh,  Cecilia,  364. 

Holland,  J.  G,  327,  362. 

Holm,  Saxe,  87. 

Holmes,  Oliver  Wendell,  75. 

Hood,  Thomas,  88. 

Horace,  238. 


XIV 


^tttljors  of  Selections 


Houghton,  Lord,  1S4,  206. 
Howells,  W.  D.,  335. 
Howland,  Mary  Woolsey,  9. 
Hugo,  Victor,  148,  230. 
Hunt,  Leigh,  186. 
Hunt,  Matthew,  299. 
Huntington,   Bishop,  226. 
Huntington,  William  Reed,  123. 

Ingelow,  Jean,  348. 

Jackson,  Helen  Hunt,  156. 
Jefferies,  Richard,  172. 
Johnson,  Philander  C,  273. 
Johnstone,  Henry,  13. 

Keble,  John,  88,  92. 

Keller,  Helen,  358. 

Kempis,  Thomas  a,  201,  251,  261. 

Kimball,  Harriet  McEwen,  330. 

Kinney,  Edith  Hope,  63. 

Kirk,  Eleanor,  122. 

Klingle,  George,  242. 

Kloss,  Charles  Luther,  82. 

Knowles,  Evelyn  Sylvester,  289. 

Laurie,  Lois,  324. 

Leighton,  Robert,  143. 

Leonard,  Priscilla,  29,  244. 

Lewis,  Emily  Sargent,  44. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  303. 

Linn,  Edith  Willis,  31. 

Long,  Lily  A.,  334. 

Longfellow,  Henry  Wadsworth,  61,  70,  107,  HO,  220, 

230. 
Lord,  Myra  B.,  353. 
Loveman,  Robert,  113,  155. 
Lowell,  James  Russell,  325. 

Macdonald,  George,  154,  157,  248. 
MacLeod,  Norman,  347. 


3tttJ)OV0  of  Selections 


XV 


Maeterlinck,  Maurice,  155. 

Malone,  Walter,  8. 

Matheson,  George,  281. 

McCarthy,  Denis  A.,  41,  74,  95,   159,  213,  240,  344, 

365. 
McConnell,  Mary  Lloyd,  272. 
Meredith,  Owen,  303. 
Merriam,  George  S.,   176. 
Merrill,  W.  R,  28. 
Miller,  Joaquin,  53. 
Miller,  J.  R.,  141. 
Milton,  John,  89,  199. 
Moodie,  William,  183. 
Moulton,  Ida  Q.,  252. 
Mountford,  140. 
Murphy,  Ethel  A.,  250. 

Neumark,  Georg,  210. 
Newcomb,  Charles  B.,  50,  208. 

Omar  Khayyam,  264. 

Palmer,  Alice  Freeman,  39,  51,  194. 

Parker,  Theodore,  138. 

Pastnor,  Paul,  233,  249. 

Perin,  George  L.,  3,  71,  179,  189,  215,  235,  294,  304, 

319,  323,  332,  343,  352,  368. 
Plato,  260. 

Pope,  Alexander,  267. 
Porter,  Charlotte,  5,  57. 
Procter,  Adelaide  A.,  15,  97,  99,  190. 
Proctor,  Edna  Dean,  188. 

Rexford,  Eben  E.,  290. 
Roberts,  Theodore,  247. 
Rockefeller,  John  D.,  193. 
Rollins,  Alice  Wellington,  326. 
Roosevelt,  Theodore,  340. 
Rossetti,  Christina  G.,  356. 
Ruskin,  John,  22,  106,  114,  331. 
Russell,  Marie,  227. 


XVI 


&ttt1)orB  of  Selections 


Sangster,  Margaret  E.,  170. 

Savage,  Minot  J.,  132,  221. 

Schauffler,  Robert  Haven,  241. 

Schiller,  228. 

Scholl,  John  William,  268. 

Scollard,  Clinton,  200. 

Shairp,  J.  C,  204. 

Shamus,  Io,  195. 

Sherman,  Frank  Dempster,  222. 

Shurtleff,  E.  W.,  177. 

Sill,  Edward  Rowland,  26,  114,  212. 

Sill,  Louise  Morgan,  270. 

Skinner,  Charles  R.,  30,  146. 

Smith,  Edith  Livingston,  274. 

Smith,  Luella  Dowd,   ill. 

Smith,  Sydney,  296. 

Southey,  R.,  131. 

Spencer,  Anna  Garlin,  342. 

Spencer,  Judith,  205. 

Spenser,  Edmund,  321. 

Stanley,  'Bessie  A.,   117. 

Staples,  N.  A.,  164. 

Stedman,  Edmund  Clarence,  93. 

Stevenson,  Robert  Louis,  75. 

Stowe,  Harriet  Beecher,   164. 

Struthers,  William,   149. 

Swain,  Charles,  263. 

Taft,  William  H.,  296. 
Tennyson,   Alfred,  73,   363. 
Thaxter,  Celia,  108,  218. 
Thoreau,  Henry  D.,  40,  223. 
Trench,  Richard  Chenevix,  119,  151. 
Turner,  May,  297. 

Urmy,  Clarence,  80. 

Van  Dyke*  Henry,  24,  55,  181,  187,  209,  225,  253,  308, 

3H,  346. 
Vaughan,   Mary,  47. 
Vicario,  Mary,  312. 
Vincent,  40. 


SUttijovs  of  Selection!* 


XV 11 


Wagner,  Charles,  133. 

Walter,  Howard  Arnold,  202,  283,  350. 

Ward,  Lew  Marston,  104. 

Waterman,  Nixon,  23,  116. 

Watson,  William,  52,  271. 

Webb,   Winifred,  331. 

Whiting,  Lilian,  127. 

Whitman,  Walt,  143,  309,  345. 

Whitney,  Mrs.  A.  D.  T.,   18,  22,  49,  57,  59,  90,  98, 

129,  180,  192,  197,  223,  239,  319. 
Whitney,  Helen  Hay,  279. 
Whittier,  John  Greenleaf,  89,  93,  315. 
Wilberforce,  Basil,  27,  46,  65,  79,  115,  125,  138,   198, 

250,  256,  281,  315,  322,  346,  348. 
Wilcox,  Ella  Wheeler,  51,  112,  145,  174,  286. 
Williams,  Gustavus,  287. 
Williams,  Isaac,  285. 
Williams,  Sarah,  121. 
Withers,  Lucius,  257. 
Wolff,  Amy  Seville,  355. 
Wood,  Henry,  317. 
Wordsworth,  William,  126. 


Xist  of 
Sutiwrs  of  drapers 


Adams,  Fred  Winslow,  12. 
Adams,  John  Coleman,   19. 
Addison,  Daniel  Dulaney,  100. 
Aked,  Charles  F.,  237. 
Albion,  James  F.,  311. 
Aldrich,  Randall  H.,  125, 
Alexander,  James,  226. 
Allen,  Pliny  A.,  138. 
Alvord,  Otis  F.,  256. 
Ames,  Charles  Gordon,  71. 
Ames,   Fred  Winslow,   12. 
Anderson,  Wilbert  L.,  32. 
Anderson,  Thomas  D.,  164. 
Angell,  Caroline  E.,  238. 
Antrim,  Eugene  M.,  330. 
Atterbury,  Anson  P.,  56. 
Atwood,  I.  M.,  109. 
Atwood,  J.  M.,  245. 
Austin,  Leon  H.,   132. 
Ayres,  Samuel  Gilbert,  212. 

Baldwin,  Mary,  368. 

Baldwin,  Arthur  S.,  180. 

Bandy,  J.  Van  Neiee,  352. 

Barbour,  Clarence  A.,  68. 

Bard,  Howard  Burton,  198. 

Bartlett,  A.  Eugene,   146. 

Beale,  William  T.,  205. 

Beecher,  Henry  Ward,  27,  167,  243,  272,  281,  286,  312. 

Beers,  Robert  W.,  196. 


XX 


^tttfjors  of  JJtragors 


Beiler,  Samuel  L.,  236. 
Bellamy,  George  A.,  70. 
Berry,  Charles  T.,  224. 
Betts,  Frederick  W,  16. 
Bieber,  M.  J.,  242. 
Bisbee,  Frederick  A.,  310. 
Blanchard,  Henry,  356. 
Bolles,  Edwin  C,  143. 
Boyle,  T.  N.,  218. 
Boynton,  Nehemiah,  147. 
Bradley,  Asa  M.,  54. 
Brigham,  L.  Ward,  348. 
Bronson,  Dillon,  291. 
Brown,  Robert  E.,  2>7- 
Bugbee,  Lucius  H.,   120. 
Bulkeley,  Benjamin  R.,  62. 
Bush,  R.  Perry,  288. 
Bushnell,   Samuel  Clarke,  80. 
Bustard,  William  W.,  5. 
Butters,  George  S.,  85. 

Cadman,  S.  Parkes,  Jt,. 
Campbell,   Frederic,  182. 
Canfield,  Harry  L.,  244. 
Canfield,  Henry  Lovell,  324. 
Canfield,  Mary  Grace,  128. 
Carlile,  Allan  Douglas,  57. 
Carr,  Herbert  W.,  75. 
Carter,  John  Wesley,  72. 
Case,  Carl  D.,  Z3- 
Chapin,  E.  H.,  316. 
Church,  A.  B.,  77. 
Clark,  De  Witt  S.,  51. 
Clark,   Francis   E.,   183. 
Clark,  Robert  tBruce,  40. 
Coates,  Florence  Earle,  306. 
Coddington,  I.  P.,  156. 
Cole,  Walter  D„  318. 
Collier,  Christopher  W.,   no, 
Colson,  George  W.,  177. 
Conger,  E.  L.,  332. 
Conklin,  Abram,  214. 


&tttfjors  of  JJtasets 


XXI 


Conklin,  Charles,  74. 
Conklin,   Eugene  L.,   190. 
Conklin,   Hazen,   112. 
Conner,  Ralph  E.,   174. 
Conwell,  Russell  H.,  35. 
Coons,  L.  W.,  89. 
Couden,  Henry  N.,  249. 
Cowper,  William,  46. 
Cox,  Sydney  Herbert,  342. 
Crandall,  Lathan  A.,  42. 
Crooker,  Florence  Kollock,  305. 
Crooker,  Joseph  H.,   130. 
Crooker,  Orin  Edson,  127. 
Curry,  W.  W.,  50. 
Cushman,  Henry  Irving,   173. 

Danforth,   Abbie  E.,   141. 

Daniels,  Charles  H.,  231. 

Dean,  John  Marvin,  53. 

Deland,   Margaret,   358. 

De  Normandie,  James,  343. 

Dickerman,  William  Frederick,  115. 

Dillingham,  F.  A.,  133. 

Dodge,  J.  Smith,  321. 

Dodge,  Mary  Danforth,  142,  184. 

Dole,  Charles  F.,  223. 

Dole,  Walter,  254. 

Dorchester,  D.,  Jr.,  345. 

Drew,   Edward   Payson,  328. 

Dunbar,   Paul  Laurence,   150. 

Earle,  Charles  C,  246. 
Eliot,  Christopher  R.,  39. 
Evans,  Albert,  28. 
Evans,  John,   126. 

Fagnani,  Charles  P.,  52. 
Fallows,  Samuel,  168. 
Faunce,  W.  H.  P.,  175. 
Ferris,  George  H.,  219. 
Fisher,  Caleb  E.,  149. 


xxn 


^tttfjotrs  of  JJvagers 


Fisher,  L.  B.,  268. 
Fisher,  Theodore  A.,  213. 
Fisk,  Richmond,   in. 
Fleischer,  Charles,  360. 
Foote,   Henry  Wilder,  59. 
Forbes,  Robert,  103. 
Forbes,  Roger  S.,  349. 
Foster,  John  M.,  208. 
Frost,  T.  P.,  191. 
Frothingham,  Paul  Revere,  23. 

Gardiner,  Robert  H.,  204. 
Geiger,   Francis  Moore,  248. 
Gifford,  O.  P.,  20. 
Gilbert,  Levi,  30. 
Gill,  Frederic,  18. 
Gillies,  Andrew,  260. 
Goodell,  C.  L.,  15. 
Goodspeed,  Frank  L.,  44. 
Grant,  Elihu,  107. 
Grant,  E.  M.,  296. 
Gray,  Clifton  D.,  367. 
Greene,  Ransom  A.,  92. 
Grier,  Albert  C,  95. 
Grose,  Arthur  Wilder,  170. 
Gunnison,  Almon,  105,  319. 

Hager,  Charles  S.,  292. 
Hale,  Harris  G,  315. 
Hall,  Frank  Oliver,  66. 
Hamilton,   Charles   Elbert,  269. 
Hamilton,   Frederick  W.,  79. 
Hamilton,   George  G.,  91. 
Hanley,  Elijah  A.,  250. 
Harmon,  George  M.,  93. 
Harris,  Moses  H.,  320. 
Haven,  William  I.,  195. 
Hayden,  Charles  A.,  290. 
Hendrix,  E.  R.,  326. 
Henry,  Carl  F.,  4,  60. 
Henson,  Llewellyn  L.,  29. 
Henson,  P.  S.,  163. 


^utijora  of  Erasers 

Herben,   Stephen  J.,   119. 

Hervey,  A.  B.,  285. 

Hodder,  Alfred  W.  H.,  122. 

Hodges,  George,   124. 

Holder),  James   Harry,   276. 

Holmes,  John  Haynes,  359. 

Holmes,  Samuel  V.  V.,  325. 

Holyoke,  Edward,  63. 

Horton,  Edward  A.,  264. 

Howe,  George  M.,  81. 

Howe,  Julia  Ward,   188. 

Howe,  Reginald  H.,  176. 

Hoyt,  Wayland,   185. 

Hughes,  Edwin  H.,  84,  287. 

Hughes,  Matt.  S.,  261. 

Hunnewell,   Frank   S.,   329. 

Hunter,  John,  88. 

Huntington,  William  E.,  116. 

Huntley,  George  E.,  178. 

Hyde,  William  De  Witt,  189,  275,  280. 

Iliffe,  William  Wallace,   131. 
Illman,  Thomas  W.,  303. 

Jackson,  Helen  Hunt,  307. 
Jefferson,  Charles  E.,  157. 
Johnson,  Herbert  S.,  357. 
Johnson,  Virgil  V.,  134. 
Johonnot,  Rodney  F.,  159 
Jones,  Efne  McCollum,  139. 

Keeney,  Frederick  T.,  229. 
Keirn,   G.   I.,  327. 
Kelly,  Claude,  295. 
Kempis,  Thomas  a,  309. 
Kent,   George,   278. 
Kidder,  Louise  Winslow,  151. 
Kidner,  Reuben,  227. 
King,  William  Wirt,  118. 
Kloss,  Charles  Luther,  220. 
Knight,  William  A.,  64. 


XXIV 


^utfjotrss  of  jpra^ers 


Landrith,  Ira,  145. 
Lee,  John  Clarence,  354. 
Leete,  Frederick  De  Land,.  162. 
Lemon,  John  B.,  186. 
Leonard,  A.  B.,  47. 
Leonard,  Adna  Wright,  347. 
Littlefield,  Arthur  W.,  114. 
Lockwood,  Frank  C,  193. 
Loomis,  Samuel  Lane,  8. 
Lyon,  William  H.,  86. 
Lyons,  Alexander,  207. 

MacArthur,  Robert  Stuart,  258. 
Macdonald,  George,  259. 
Macdonald,  Loren  B.,  235. 
MacDonald,  Robert,  366. 
MacQueen,  Peter,  239. 
Main,  W.  H.,   14. 
Martineau,  James,  225,  274,  282. 
Marvin,  Dwight  E.,  233. 
Marvin,  Reignold  K.,  344. 
Mason,  Joseph  K.,   102. 
Masseck,  Frank  Lincoln,  34. 
Maxwell,  H.  D.,  83. 
McAfee,   Cleland  B.,  49. 
McAllister,   Frank  B.,  82. 
McCollester,  Lee  S.,  363. 
McConnell,   Frank  J.,   123. 
McGlauflin,  William  H.,  209. 
Mclntyre,  Robert,  206. 
McKenzie,  Alexander,  58. 
Mead,  I.  J.,  203. 
Mears,  David  O.,  240. 
Melden,  Charles  M.,  277. 
Merrick,  Frank  W.,  99. 
Miller,  J.  R„  216. 
Millburn,  V.  S.,  339. 
Mitchell,   Charles  Bayard,  7. 
Mitchell,  H.  G.,  293. 
Mitchell,  Stanford,  289. 
Mitchell,  William  S.,  346. 
Moffat,  James  D.,  197. 


SUttljors  of  JJragcrs 


XXV 


Moore,   David   H.,   299. 
Moore,  Willis  A.,  228. 
Myers,  Cortland,  76. 

Nash,  C.  Ellwood,  61,  94,  247,  351,  361. 
Nash,  Charles  P.,  148. 
Nash,  Henry  S.,  317. 
North,  Frank  Mason,  90. 
Noyes,  Edward  MacArthur,  265. 

Opdale,  Nellie  Mann,  97. 
Osgood,  Edmund  Q.  S.,  221. 

Page,   Frederick  Harlan,  298. 
Park,  Charles  E.,  234. 
Parker,  Joseph,   194,  241. 
Parker,  Theodore,  271,  283. 
Pattison,  Harold,  255. 
Perin,    Florence   H.f   ^04. 

Perin,  George  L.,  3,  13,  21,  41,  55,  69,  104,  113,  135, 
152,  165,  172,  215,  232,  252,  270,  284,  313,  338,  350. 
Perrin,  Willard  T.,  300. 
Perkins,  Frederic  W.,   181. 
Perkins,  O.  Howard,  253. 
Perry,  George  Powell,  257. 
Phelps,  Elizabeth  Stuart,  31. 
Piatt,  W.  D.,  322. 
Potter,  Rockwell  Harmon,  230. 
Potterton,  Thomas  Edward,  210. 
Powers,  Le  Grand,  48. 
Priddy,  Claude  H.,  17. 
Priest,  Ira  A.,  341. 
Puffer,  Charles  H.,  314,  355- 

Quayle,  William  A.,  10. 

Randall,  Edwin  M.,  171. 
Rauschenbusch,  Walter,  Q. 
Reifsnider,  Edson,  199. 
Reisner,  Christian  F.,  331. 
Rexford,  E.  L.,  202. 


XXVI 


^tttfjorsi  of  JJrasetrs 


Rice,  Clarence  E.,  222. 
Rider,  William  H.,  129. 
Roblin,    Stephen   Herbert,   24. 
Rose,  Henry  R.,  187. 
Rowley,    Francis   H.,  87. 
Rowland,  A.  J.,  136. 
Rugg,  Henry  W,  251. 
Rust,  Charles  H.,  211. 

Sahlin,  George  A.,  98. 

Sargent,  Orisen  C,  266. 

Saunders,  Edward  B.,  158. 

Savage,  Minot  J.,  78,  108,  153,  161,  333. 

Saville,  Henry  Martyn,  165. 

Scott,  Winfield,  302. 

Secrist,  Henry  T.,  25. 

Selleck,  William  Chamberlain,  96. 

Shepard,  William  O.,  36. 

Shurtleff,  Alfred  D.  K.,  26. 

Shutter,   Marion   D.,  45. 

Simms,   Thomas,  336 

Sheer,  Thomas  R.,   155. 

Smith,  Edwin  R.,  263. 

Spencer,   James  H.,   22. 

Stackpole,  Everett  S.,  6. 

Stalker,  Arthur  W.,  38. 

Stansfield,  Joshua,  201. 

Stetson,  Charlotte  Perkins,  365. 

Stowe,  Charles  E.,  166. 

Stowe,  Harriet  Beecher,  140. 

Stuart,   Charles   M.,   160. 

Sweetser,  Edwin  C,  67. 

Swift,  Clarence  F.,   101. 

Sykes,  Richard  E.,  273. 

Taylor,  Frederick  E.,  279. 
Tenney,  Charles  R.,  308,  362. 
Tippy,  Worth  M.,  335. 
Thirkield,  Wilbur  P.,  364. 
Thoburn,  James  M.,  262. 
Thoburn,  J.  M.,  217. 
Tompkins,  De  Loss  M.,  144. 


&utijors  of  Dragtrg 


XXVll 


Van  Dyke,  Henry,  n. 
Vannevar,  John,  65. 
Van  Ness,  Thomas,  297. 
Vernon,   Ambrose  W.,   106. 
Virgin,  Samuel  H.,  121. 

Wadsworth,  Julian  S.,  301. 
Wallace,  O.  C.  S.,  337- 
Wallace,  John  J.,  340. 
Watson,   Charles   H.,  43. 
Weeden,  Charles  F.,  117. 
Welch,  Herbert,  137. 
Wells,  Newell  Woolsey,  267. 
Weston,  Costello,  179. 
Wheeler,  C.  H.,  334. 
Willett,  Herbert  L.,  169. 
Wilson,  Joseph  Kennard,  353. 
Woodbridge,  Warren  S.,  192. 
Wright,  Richard,  200. 
Wylie,  David  G.,  294. 

Young,  Joshua,   154,  323. 


€^e  WpttmteW  dSooD  jljtgtyt 


3Jamtarg  i 


With  outstretched  hand  and  eager  heart,  I  shall  meet 
the  New  Tear  like  a  messenger  of  God  come  to  bring 
me  good  news.  I  shall  not  be  afraid  as  if  he  were  come 
to  spy  upon  my  actions;  I  shall  not  question  him  as 
if  I  doubted  his  veracity;  I  shall  not  distrust  him 
as  if  he  bore  a  poisoned  chalice,  for  then  were  he  to 
me  no  messenger  of  God.  The  years  have  all  been  good, 
but  this  year  shall  be  the  best  of  all  because  the  very 
latest  word  from  Htm  who  loves  me. 

George  L.  Perin. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  it  is  good  for  us  to  start 
upon  the  year's  journey  with  hope  and  .with  noble 
resolution.  Let  us  not  be  dismayed  by  any  conscious- 
ness of  failure  in  the  past.  This  is  a  new  year,  and 
Thou  art  still  with  us.  Give  us  vision  to  see  a  better 
way;  give  us  strength  to  carry  our  resolutions  into 
actions.  O,  may  life  seem  real,  may  work  be  to  us  a 
constant  joy.  Renew  our  strength  from  day  to  day, 
quicken  and  deepen  our  faith,  enrich  our  lives  that 
this  may  be  to  us  the  best  of  all  the  years.  In  this 
mood  of  faith,  we  would  lie  down  to  rest  on  the 
evening  of  the  first  day.  May  faith  make  our  sleep 
sweet.     Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


$mwv&  2 


I  asked  the  New  Tear  for  some  motto  sweet, 
Some  rule  of  life  with  which  to  guide  my  feet. 
I  asked  and  paused.    He  answered  soft  and  low: 
God's  will  to  know." 

Will  knowledge,  then,  suffice,  New  Tear  ?  "  /  cried; 
And  ere  the  question  into  silence  died 
The  answer  came:   "  Nay,  but  remember,  too, 
God's  will  to  do." 

Once  more  I  asked:  "  Is  there  no  more  to  tell  ?  " 
And  once  again  the  answer  softly  fell: 

Tes;   this  one  thing,  all  other  things  above  — 
God's  will  to  love." 

Anonymous. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  would  close  the  day  with 
Thee  who  dost  guard  and  guide  us  all  the  way.  We 
thank  Thee  for  that  wise  goodness  that  has  attended 
us  all  the  years  and  which,  we  are  certain,  will  go 
with  us  into  this  new  year  that  waits  veiled  before. 
We  know  not  what  the  future  holds,  but  we  face  it 
confidently  because  it  is  Thine  and  we  also  are  Thine. 
Give  to  us,  we  pray,  the  courage  and  cheer  of  perfect 
faith,  and  teach  us  all,  O  God,  in  this  new  year  to 
do  and  love  Thy  holy  will  that  we  may  have  the 
freedom  of  truth,  the  peace  of  obedience,  and  the  joy 
of  loving  Thee.  Protect  us  through  the  night,  O 
Lord,  and  may  the  morning  find  us  ready  for  our 
work  and  Thine.    Amen. 

Carl  F.  Henry. 


Salutary  3 


Life  shall  be  richer  in  you  more  and  more, 
And  each  New  Tear,  far  surer  than  before, 

The  soul  in  you   shall  find, 

Responsive  to   her  sight, 

Resource    of  H eat t  and  Mind  — 

Her  treasure-trove  of  might 

That  each  Day's  need  had  sought, 

With  each  new  Sun   divined, 

Full  ready  to  be  wrought/ 

Her  mystic  rod  of  light 
Shall  tremble  and  dip  down  to  your  pure  ore, 
And  show  it  waiting  secretly  and  true, 
A   mine  of  unsuspected  gold  in  you! 
Th£  sensitive  witch-hazel  of  each  sun, 

Sparkling  the  darkling  mood, 
Shall  find  your  Fairy  Gold,  and  make  it  one 

With  all  your  life  holds  good ! 

Charlotte  Porter. 

O  God!  We  know  that  Thou  wilt  send  us  no 
night  in  which  there  is  no  star  of  hope.  May  we  ever 
look  for  the  light  which  shines  from  above,  and  is 
the  reflection  of  Thine  own  goodness.  Give  us  the 
vision  of  the  open  heaven,  and  make  our  lives  radiant 
with  its  divine  glory.  Help  us  to  see  that  the  clearest 
revelation  of  Thyself  is  found  in  our  own  Christ-like 
lives.  Grant  to  us  the  power  to  become  what  Thou 
art  in  love  and  character;  and  when  at  last  the  sun 
shall  set  to  rise  no  more,  take  us  to  Thyself,  where 
an  immortal  dawn  may  kiss  our  souls  away  into  an 
eternal  life.    Amen. 

William   W.   Bustard. 


3$autt*r£  4 


Love  that  asketb  love  again 
Finds  the  barter  naught  but  pain; 
Love  that  giveth  in  full  store 
Aye  receives  as  much  and  more. 

Love,  exacting  nothing  back, 
Never  knoweth  any  lack; 
Love,  compelling  love  to  pay, 
Sees  him  bankrupt  every  day. 

Michael  Field. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  appreciate  Thy 
love  in  the  many  good  things  that  have  come  to  us 
today  and  to  see  Thy  kindness  intended  in  all  things. 
Forgive  us  if  we  have  not  spent  the  day  in  self-for- 
getful service  of  others.  Even  in  toil  and  pain  for 
others  let  us  have  joy.  Help  us  to  remember  that  life 
is  worth  to  us  and  to  the  world  just  the  amount 
of  good  we  do.  Let  tomorrow  be  better  than  today. 
May  love  sweeten  our  tones  and  brighten  our  faces. 
Let  the  grasp  of  our  hands  convey  healing  to  some 
soul.  May  all  our  words  be  kind  and  our  acts  helpful. 
So  shall  we  have  rest  and  peace  and  strength.  Let 
us  live  as  well  as  we  pray  in  Jesus'  name.     Amen. 

Everett  S.   Stackpole. 


Sanitary  5 


/  have  lived,  sir,  a  long  time;  and  the  longer  I  live, 
the  more  convincing  proofs  I  see  of  this  truth,  that  God 
governs  in  the  affairs  of  men.  Franklin. 

For  us  the  winds  do  blow; 

The  earth  doth  rest,  heaven  move,  and  fountains  flow. 

Nothing  we  see  but  means  our  good, 

As  our  delight,  or  as  our  treasure: 
The  whole  is  either  our  cupboard  of  food 

Or  cabinet  of  pleasure. 

George  Herbert. 


We  return  this  night  to  Thy  heart,  O  God,  our 
Father,  like  children  come  home  when  the  darkness 
comes  on.  This  daywe  have  been  kept  by  Thy  bounty, 
and  sustained  by  Thy  grace.  All  day  long  we  have 
been  bathed  in  Thy  goodness.  For  us  the  birds  have 
sung  their  sweetest  songs:  for  us  the  flowers  have 
bloomed,  and  the  very  air  has  vibrated  with  music. 
Thou  hast  come  to  us  on  all  sides  bearing  gifts. 
Thou  hast  strengthened  us  by  our  trials.  Thou  hast 
purified  us  by  our  sorrows.  Thou  hast  given  us  sym- 
pathy through  our  sorrows.  We  are  glad  that  we 
have  been  alive  in  this  beautiful  world  today.  It 
has  been  a  joy  to  breathe  and  think  and  feel;  our 
daily  toil  has  been  like  a  sacrament,  for  work  is  sweet 
when  God  is  nigh.  Forgive  us  our  sins  for  we  have 
been  wayward  children;  Thy  goodness  leads  us  to 
repentance.  Keep  us  through  the  night,  as  Thou  hast 
through  the  day.  We  lie  down  in  peace,  knowing 
that  if  we  never  know  another  day,  we  will  have  no 
cause  for  complaint.  Accept  our  love  and  gratitude 
in   Jesus'  name.     Amen. 

Charles  Bayard  Mitchell. 


3Umtat£  6 


Opportunity 

They  do  me  wrong  who  say  I  come  no  more 
When  once  I  knock  and  fail  to  find  you  in; 
For  every  day  I  stand  outside  your  door, 
And  bid  you  wake,  and  rise  to  fight  and  win. 
Wail  not  for  precious  chances  passed  away; 
Weep  not  for  golden   ages  on  the  wane; 
Each  night  I  burn  the  records  of  the  day:  — 
At  sunrise  every  soul  is  born   again. 
Laugh  like  a  boy  at  splendors  that  have  sped; 
To  vanished  joys  be  blind  and  deaf  and  dumb; 
My  judgments  seal  the  dead  past  with   its  dead 
But  never  bind  a  moment  yet  to  come! 

Walter  Malone. 


We  come  to  Thee,  O  Lord,  at  nightfall  and,  for  an 
evening  offering,  present  our  day.  This,  truly,  is  no 
unblemished  gift  —  is  far  from  what  we  wish  it  were  and 
meant  it  to  have  been;  yet,  as  Thou  knowest,  we  have 
tried  to  do  well.  Count  the  will  for  the  deed,  Great 
Friend!  Correct  the  faults,  overlook  the  follies,  for- 
give the  sins:  and  whatever  Thou  canst  find  herein 
of  honest  service,  receive  it  with  our  love.  We  thank 
Thee  for  perpetual  discontent  and  that  Thou  ever 
shinest  before  us  with  both  hope  and  promise  of 
better  things  to  come.  Take,  therefore,  the  best 
we  can  offer  tonight,  and  out  of  tomorrow,  by  Thy 
help,  we'll  build  Thee  a  better  day. 

Samuel  Lane  Loomis. 


Sfamtarg  7 


/  lay  me  down  to  sleep 

With  little  thought  or  care 
Whether  my  waking  find 

Me  here  or  there. 
A  bowing,  burdened  head 

That  only  asks  to  rest 
Unquestioning,  upon 

A  loving  breast. 

My  good   right  hand  forgets 

Its  cunning  now; 
To  march   the  weary  march 

I  know  not  how. 
My  half  day's  work  is  done, 

And  this  is  all  my  part, 
I  give  a  patient  God 

My  patient  heart. 

Mary  Woolsev  Howland. 

My  body  and  brain  are  weary,  Father,  and  crave 
their  rest.  Thou  hast  given  strength  for  the  day, 
but  the  day's  tasks  have  used  it  up.  Of  all  the  brave 
purposes  of  the  morning  only  a  few  have  found  their 
fulfillment  and  even  these  few  but  haltingly  and 
brokenly.  I  have  not  to  boast  before  Thee,  but  I  do 
not  fear  Thy  face.  Thou  knowest  all  things,  and 
Thy  name  is  Love.  My  day's  work  with  its  success 
and  its  failures,  my  day's  life  with  its  joys  and  sorrows 
I  lay  at  Thy  feet,  and  lean  back  on  Thee,  Thou 
eternal  rest  and  refuge  of  my  soul.  Now  grant  my 
soul  Thy  peace  and  my  body  Thy  sleep,  and  to- 
morrow I  shall  rise  and  by  Thy  grace  do  better. 
Amen. 

Walter  Rauschenbusch. 


io  Sfamtars  8 


Our  lives  are  full  of  odds  and  ends; 
First  one  and  then  another  — 
And  though  we  know  not  how  or  when, 
They're  deftly  wove  together. 

The  weaver  has  a  master  s  skill, 

And  proves  it  by  this  token,  - — ■ 

No  loop  is  dropped,  no  strand  is  missed, 

And  not  a  thread  is  broken. 

Not  e'en  a  shred  is  thrown  aside, 
So  careful  is  the  weaver, 
Who  pining  all  with  wondrous  skill, 
Weaves  odds  and  ends  together. 

Aubrey  de  Vere. 


Thou,  Lord,  who  weavest  sky  and  lands  and  leaf 
of  tree  and  flower,  and  the  stranger  weft  of  human 
souls,  give  ear  unto  our  prayer.  We  are  Thy  flowers, 
Thy  skies,  Thy  seas,  always  and  gladly  Thine.  We 
laud  Thy  holy  name  that  Thou  art  so  set  into  our 
lives  and  that  Thou  hast  set  Thy  heart  upon  our  lives. 
We  are  precious  in  Thy  sight.  Thou  hast  a  pattern 
of  rare  devising  which  Thou  designest  to  weave 
into  the  fabric  of  each  soul  of  woman  and  of  man. 
Have  Thy  way  with  us,  O  God.  May  we  not  mar 
what  Thou  wouldst  weave.  Take  time  and  care 
and  spare  not  the  thread  so  be  we  come  out  of  Thy 
loom,  Divine  tapestries  on  the  which,  when  Thou 
dost  cast  Thine  eyes,  Thou  shalt  be  glad  and  from  Thy 
lips  shall  fall  a  word  of  praise.    Amen. 

William  A.   Quayle. 


Stonttarg  o  ii 


Over  a  broad  open  plain  there  blows  a  strong,  steady 
wind.  It  never  stops,  it  never  changes.  All  over  the 
plain  there  are  men  and  women  on  their  journeys. 
Hear  them  cry  out.  "  This  wind,  this  dreadful 
wind!"  cries  one,  all  out  of  breath,  and  gasping. 
"  How  bitter  it  is,  how  cruel,  how  it  hates  me!" 
This  wind,  this  blessed  wind!"  cries  another,  within 
hail  of  him.  "  How  kind  it  is,  how  helpful,  how  it 
loves  me  !  "  Are  there  two  winds,  or  has  the  one  fickle 
wind  its  favourites  ?  No,  the  one  constant  wind  is 
blowing  steadily  and  is  no  respecter  of  persons;  but 
one  man  has  set  his  face  against  it  and  the  other  man 
is  walking  with  it. 

Phillips  Brooks. 


Lord  of  the  wind  and  wave,  by  whose  unchanging 
law  nature  is  governed,  help  me  to  journey  bravely 
through  Thy  world.  I  ask  no  more  that  Thou 
shouldst  turn  the  tide  and  the  breeze  to  favour 
me,  for  Thou  hast  other  ships  upon  the  sea,  and 
other  pilgrims  on  the  earth,  whose  ways  are  not 
mine.  But  give  me  a  heart  to  take  the  weather  as 
it  comes;  and  whether  I  must  face  the  gale  or  travel 
with  the  wind,  teach  me  to  go  forward  steadily  and 
cheerfully,  and  bring  me  home  at  last  for  Christ's 
sake.      Amen. 

Henry   van   Dyke. 


12 


3Jatutarg  10 


Do  you  sometimes  feel  that  you're  running  down, 
That  life  is  a  bubble,  a  darksome  frown, 

With  nothing  but  bitters  within   your  cup? 
Look  out  on  the  broad  and  boundless  sea, 
And  let  your  spirit  go  roving  free, 
Afar  from  your  thoughts  of  misery. 
Cheer  up! 

Do  you  sometimes  feel  that  your  nerves  are  wrecked, 
And  with  wish  to  do  that  you  cannot  act; 

Do  you  dream  by  night  of  your  epitaph? 
Look  out  on  the  fair  and  gracious  sky, 
And  list  to  the  bird  notes  sounding  high, 
And  there  let  your  unleashed  spirit  fly, 
And  laugh. 

John  Kendrick  Bangs. 


We  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  for  Thy  blessed  promise 
that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be  light.  Help  us  to  re- 
member, when  shadows  lengthen  and  cares  mul- 
tiply that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be  light.  Bring 
us  in  again,  O  Father,  to  faith  and  cheer.  Bind  up 
for  us  the  raveled  sleeve  of  care;  and  grant  us  to 
receive,  and  help  us  to  radiate,  the  light  of  Thy 
presence  as  revealed  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Savior;  for 
Thy  Name's  sake.     Amen. 

Fred  Winslow  Adams.' 


3Famtarg  n  13 


Sleep,    Sleep,  come  to  me,  Sleep, 

Come  to  my  blankets  and  come  to  my  bed, 
Come  to  my  legs  and  my  arms  and  my  bead, 

Over  me,  under  me,  into  me  creep. 

Sleep,  Sleep,  come  to  me,  Sleep, 

Blow   on    my   face  like  a  soft  breath   of  air, 
Lay  your  cool  hand  on  my  forehead  and  hair, 

Carry  me  down  through  the  dream-waters  deep. 

Sleep,  Sleep,  come  to  me,  Sleep, 

Tell  me  the  secrets  that  you  alone  know, 
Show  me  the  wonders  none  other  can  show, 

Open  the  box  w.here  your  treasures  you  keep. 

Sleep,  Sleep,  come  to  me,  Sleep, 

Softly  I  call  you;    as  soft  and  as  slow 
Come  to  me,  cuddle  me,  stay  with  me  so, 

Stay  till  the  dawn   is   beginning  to  peep. 

Henry  Johnstone. 


Our  Father  in  Heaven,  as  we  lie  down  to-night 
tired  but  not  discouraged,  we  thank  Thee  for  the 
strange  mysterious  renewal  that  comes  from  sleep. 
In  some  magic  way,  the  how  of  which  we  do  not  know, 
Thou  pourest  out  Thy  Spirit  upon  us  while  we  are 
unconscious.  It  enters  into  our  hearts  and  minds, 
into  our  veins  and  blood,  and  behold  we  awake 
refreshed  and  strong  for  a  new  day.  Be  Thou  with 
us  while  we  sleep  tonight.    Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


i4  3famt*r£  12 


One  of  the  sweet  old  chapters, 

After  a  day  like  this. 
The  day  brought  tears  and  troubles, 

The  evening  brings   no  kiss, 
Nor  rest  in   the   arms  I  long  for,  — 

Rest  and  refuge  and  home, 
Grieved  and  lonely  and  weary, 

Unto  the  book  I  come. 

One  of  the  sweet  old  chapters,  — 

The  love  that  blossoms  through 
His  care  of  the  birds  and  lilies 

Out  in  the  meadow  dew. 
His  evening  lies  soft  around  them, 

Their  faith   is  only  to  be; 
Ah  I   hushed   by  the  tender  lesson, 

My  God,  let  me  rest  in  Thee ! 

Alice  Cary. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  every- 
thing Thou  dost  send  into  our  lives.  We  thank  Thee 
for  the  Blessed  Book  and  what  it  teaches  us.  It 
soothes  our  sorrows,  dries  our  tears  and  comforts  our 
hearts.  Thy  word  reveals  Thyself  to  us,  and  thus 
we  may  know  God;  it  reveals  Jesus  Christ  to  us, 
thus  may  we  have  a  Saviour.  It  reveals  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  us  and  thus  may  we  be  enlightened.  Blessed 
Word!  It  is  our  refuge,  our  guide,  our  inspiration. 
With  it  we  can  never  be  alone,  for  our  Father  speaks 
to  us.  May  we  now  and  always  rest  in  Thee.  Watch 
over  us  this  night  and  all  nights,  tomorrow  and  all 
tomorrows,  until  days  and  nights  blend  into  one 
blessed  eternity  of  joy  with  Thee.    Amen. 

W.  H.   Main. 


3Umtari>  13  15 


Be  strong  to  hope,  0  Heart! 

Though  day  is  bright, 
The  stars  can  only  shine 

In  the  dark   night. 
Be  strong,  O  Heart  of  mine, 

Look  towards  the  light! 

Be  strong  to  love,  0  Heart ! 

Love  knows  not  wrong; 
Didst  thou  love,  creatures  even, 

Life  were  not  long; 
Didst  thou  love  God  in  Heaven, 

Thou  would st  be  strong. 

Adelaide  A.  Procter. 


Father  of  Lights,  with  whom  can  be  no  variation 
neither  shadow  that  is  cast  by  turning,  we  lift  our 
hearts  to  Thee.  The  lights  in  our  skies  come  and  go; 
but  however  moons  may  wane  and  stars  hide  under 
the  clouds,  may  the  twin  stars  of  hope  and  love  never 
fail  us.  Give  us  hope  for  the  causes  and  the  men 
that  seem  most  hopeless  and  may  we  never  cease  our 
toil  in  their  behalf.  Grant  that  we  may  never  be 
quite  hopeless  concerning  ourselves  whatever  our 
ill  desert.  We  have  attempted  little  and  failed  much. 
Forgive  us.  Grant  us  the  love  of  our  kind  if  it  may 
be,  but  give  us  above  all  to  realize  the  love  which 
brings  heaven  to  earth.    Amen. 

C.   L.  Goodell. 


16  3JitlTttatJ?  14 


There  was  a  great  fire  in  the  pit.  It  was  built  with 
toil,  and  it  was  fierce,  and  bright.  Huge  logs  blazed  up 
heating  each  other,  and  the  fiames  roared  hungrily. 
On  the  edge  of  the  pit,  beyond  the  fire,  a  fagot  had  been 
thrown.  No  one  saw  it.  The  outside  of  it  was  charred 
and  cold.  But  its  heart  glowed.  It  was  a  little  fagot. 
The  great  fire  went  out,  for  all  its  fuel  was  consumed. 
The  air  grew  damp  and  chill.  There  came  a  wind 
from  God  and  the  fire  in  the  little  fagot  waked.  Slowly 
a  wreath  of  smoke  curled  out,  slowly  a  little  tongue 
pushed  up,  and  the  fagot  burst  into  flame.  Softly  the 
flame  crept  through  the  grass;  it  touched  a  tree  and 
vaulted  wildly  up  —  the  forest  was  afire,  and  its  bright- 
ness lighted  up  the  World.  The  little  fagot  burned 
out,  like  the  great  fire.  No  one  noticed  it.  Its  fuel 
was  consumed. 

Bolton  Hall. 


Mysterious  Life,  Who  art  not  far  from  any  one  of  us, 
we  would  be  conscious  of  Thy  presence  everywhere. 
As  the  day  and  its  toil  recede  may  its  tumult  cease  in 
us.  Be  near  us  as  we  turn  from  labor,  and  from 
our  hearthstone  contemplate  all  the  manifold  activi- 
ties of  life.  Remind  us  of  Thy  everlasting  care. 
Cover  with  the  shadow  of  thy  wing.  Brood  us  as  a 
mother  does  her  child.  Sing  us  to  sleep  with  music 
such  as  angels  sung,  of  Thy  good  will  to  men.  Thus, 
even  while  we  sleep  may  sparks  of  vestal  fire  burn  low 
within  our  souls,  until  when  morning  comes  again 
and  men  go  forth  unto  their  labors  they  will  light  their 
fires  of  love  and  devotion  from  our  deathless  flame. 
Amen. 

Frederick  W.  Betts. 


3Jauuav£  15  17 


God  builds  the  blind  bird's  nest; 

Will  He  not  build  for  me 
A  home  of  sheltering  love  and  rest, 

From  worldly  tumult  free  ? 

No  bird  more  blind  than  I; 

The  tiniest,  tenderest  wing 
Through  unknown  space  doth  safely  fly, 

Unawed,   unquestioning. 

The  poor  blind  bird  and  I, 

Thy  children  both  are  we; 
Build  Thou  for  her,  nor,  Lord,  deny 

Thy  nest  of  peace  to  me ! 

Zitella  Cocke. 


It  is  true,  Father,  that  the  mystery  of  Thy  uni- 
verse deepens  with  the  growth  of  mind.  Though 
the  foundation  standeth  sure  as  the  more  certain 
conviction  of  reason,  yet  the  necklace  of  the  sky, 
with  its  millions  of  shining  suns,  the  terrifying 
forces  about  unknown  and  uncontrolled,  bewilder 
us  in  our  larger  hopes  until  with  the  Psalmist  we 
gasp  "  What  is  man  that  Thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  " 
Stretch  forth  Thy  hand,  Father,  that  in  the  shadows 
of  this  evening's  twilight,  I  may  feel  for  the  Presence 
I  cannot  see.  Give  to  Thy  beloved  in  sleep,  that 
with  the  morning  light  the  soul  of  Thy  servant  may 
catch  the  rhythmic  music  of  Thy  world,  and  join  the 
trustful  little  songsters  at  the  window  in  their  opening 
hymn  of  praise.     Amen. 

Claude  H.  Priddy. 


January  \o 


There  are  persons  who  have  an  impediment  of  speech, 
so  that  the  thoughts  that  shape  themselves  in  the  brain 
are  smothered  there,  and  can  never  be  born  in  fitting 
utterance.  There  are  many  who  have  an  impediment 
in  life.  A  something  wanting  —  withheld  —  that 
hinders  the  inner  existence  from  flowering  out  into 
visible  fact  and  deed.  Flowers  it  not  somewhere?  Is 
there  not  building  somewhere,  all  the  while,  that  which 
God  hath  reserved  for  them  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world  ? 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


Heavenly  Father,  we  bring  to  Thee  the  deep  needs 
of  our  hearts.  We  pray  not  for  the  removal  of  the 
mysteries  of  our  lives,  nor  for  answers  to  the  questions 
we  often  ask.  We  seek  for  better  knowledge  of  Thee, 
the  God  of  all  hope:  we  would  feel  Thy  presence 
and  receive  Thy  benediction,  to  the  end  that,  when 
failure  and  disappointment  are  ours,  when  our  at- 
tainments come  far  short  of  our  ideals,  when  again 
and  again  we  are  defeated  and  humbled,  we  shall 
be  saved  from  discouragement,  the  consecration  of  our 
lives  shall  be  strengthened,  and  we  shall  with  good 
heart  be  faithful  to  our  high  calling.  Thus  may  we  be 
cheered  and  sustained  by  the  hope  that  is  in  thee. 
Amen. 

Frederic  Gill. 


Sauttarj?  17  19 


Ah,  never  sank  a  sinning  soul  so  low, 
But  God's  paternal  band  could  deeper  go 
His  perishing  child  to  save. 

Though  shipwrecked   by   sin's    overwhelming   weight, 
God's  hand  has  rescued  from  as  hard  a  fate 
Some  other  castaway. 

How  shall  I  set  a  limit  to  His  grace, 
How  dare  I  cloud  the  glory  of  His  face?  — 

Abide  His  time;    have  faith  through  weary  days 
That  at   the   last   each   soul  shall  sing  His   praise 
Who  moulds  the  hearts  of  men. 

Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 


O  Thou,  who  seest  and  knowest  all  hearts,  Thou 
hast  witnessed  the  strife  and  the  trials  of  the  day  now 
spent.  Thou  knowest  the  disappointments  and  the 
sense  of  failure  and  of  shame  with  which  we  come  to 
its  close,  and  remember  how  we  have  come  short 
of  the  resolve  and  the  desire  of  the  morning,  and  have 
sinned  against  the  goodness  and  the  love  which  gave 
us  a  day  more  of  life  and  of  opportunity.  Be  patient 
with  us,  Lord,  and  help  us  to  be  patient  with  our- 
selves, and  to  wait  in  simple  faith,  and  in  unshaken 
purpose,  the  day  of  fulfilment  and  of  triumph,  when 
Thou  shalt  conquer  in  and  with  our  souls.   Amen. 

John  Coleman    Adams. 


20 


$&nmv£  18 


He  had  his  dream,   and  all  through  life, 
Worked  up  to  it  through  toil  and  strife. 
Afloat  fore'er  before  his  eyes, 
It  colored  for  him  all  his  skies: 

The  storm-cloud  dark 

Above  his  bark, 
The  calm  and  listless  vault  of  blue 
Took  on   its  hopeful  hue, 
It  tinctured  every  passing  beam  — 

He  had  his  dream. 

He  labored  hard  and  failed  at  last, 
His  sails  too  weak  to  bear  the  blast, 
The  raging  tempests  tore  away 
And  sent  his  beating  bark  astray. 

But  what  cared  he 

For  wind  or  sea  ! 
He  said,  "  The  tempest  will  be  short, 
My  bark  will  come  to  port." 
He  saw  through  every  cloud  a  gleam  — ■ 

He  had  his  dream. 

Paul  Laurence  Dunbar. 

Father  of  light,  with  whom  is  no  variableness, 
neither  shadow  caused  by  turning,  we  dwell  amid 
shifting  shadows,  the  earth  turns  and  we  are  in  dark- 
ness, with  the  darkness  comes  sleep,  and  with  sleep, 
dreams.  May  the  dreams  of  the  night  give  courage 
for  the  day.  The  night  reveals  the  depths  of  space, 
and  teaches  eternity,  may  the  dreams  of  the  night 
broaden  our  horizon,  and  gird  us  with  strength  to 
bear  burdens  and  face  storms  when  the  world  seems 
narrow  and  heart  and  flesh  fail  us,  for  Thy  name's 
sake,  Amen. 

O.  P.  Gifford. 


Slamtcirj?  19  21 


The  fire  upon  the  hearth   is  low, 
And  there  is  stillness  everywhere, 
While  winged  spirits  here  and  there, 
The  firelight  shadows   muttering  go, 
And  as  the  shadows  round  me  creep, 
A  childish  treble  breaks  the  gloom, 
And  softly  from  the  further  room 
Comes  "  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep." 

And  somehow,  with  that  little  prayer, 
And  that  sweet  treble  in   my  ears, 
My  thoughts  go   back   to   distant  years, 
And  linger  with  the  loved  ones  there; 
And  so  I  hear  my   child's  "  amen," 
My  mother's  faith   comes  back  to  me, 
Crouched  at  her  side  I  seem  to  be, 
And  mother  holds   my   hands  again. 

Oh,  for  an   hour  in  that  dear  place! 
Oh,  for  the  peace  of  that  dear  time! 
Oh,  for  that  childish   trust  sublime! 
Oh,  for  a  glimpse  of  mother's  face! 
Yet  as  the  shadows  round  me  creep, 
I  do  not  seem  to  be  alone  — 
Magic  sweet,  of  that  treble  tone, 
And  "  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep." 

Eugene  Field. 

Our  heavenly  Father,  by  the  magic  of  memory, 
we  are  carried  back  through  the  years  to  the  sweet 
experience  when,  enfolded  in  arms  of  love,  we  learned 
the  mystery  of  the  divine  love,  through  the  beauty  and 
the  joy  of  mother  love.  While  the  years  recede,  let 
our  trust  in  Thee  abide.    Amen. 

George  L.  Peein. 


22  Samtari?  20 


There  is  no  joy,  —  there  is  no  beauty,  —  there  is  no 
glory  of  living  or  of  acting,  —  no  supreme  moment 
you  can  picture  in  your  dreams,  that  is  not  in  your  life, 
as  God  sees  it,  —  stirring  in  the  intuition  you  have  of 
it  now,  —  waiting  for  you  in  the  glorious  fulfilment 
that  shall  be  There! 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


This  infinite  universe  is  unfathomable,  inconceivable, 
in  its  whole;  every  human  creature  must  slowly  spell 
out,  and  long  contemplate,  such  part  of  it  as  may  be 
possible  for  him  to  reach;  then  set  forth  what  he  has 
learned  of  it  for  those  beneath  him,  extricating  it  from 
infinity,  as  one  gathers  a  violet  out  of  the  grass. 

John  Ruskin. 


Eternal  and  infinite  God,  Thou  hast  made  us  as  like 
Thyself  as  finiteness  can  be  to  infinity.  Thou  hast 
poured  Thyself  into  us  with  no  more  measure  than  our 
littleness  required.  There  is  that  in  us  which  is  greater 
than  ourselves,  and  it  cries  out  in  us  with  longings 
which  cannot  be  uttered.  Help  us  to  remember  that 
these  yearnings  are  the  inspiration  of  Thine  own 
Spirit  in  us,  and  earnests  of  the  glorious  fulfillment 
which  is  one  day  to  be.  Truly  we  know  not  what  we 
shall  be  then,  but  such  Spirit-kindled  hopes  assure 
us  we  shall  be  like  Thee.  Of  this  grant  us  daily  to 
possess  the  further  witness  of  an  increasing  habit 
of  Heavenly  living  now.    Amen. 

James  H.   Spencer. 


SJamtarg  21  23 


We  shall  do  so  much  in  the  years  to  come, 

But  what  have  we  done  today  ? 
We  shall  give  out  gold  in  a  princely  sum, 

But  what  did  we  give  today? 
We  shall  lift  the  heart  and  dry  the  tear, 
We  shall  plant  a  hope  in  place  of  fear, 
We  shall  speak  with  words  of  love  and  cheer, 

But  what  have  we  done  today? 

We  shall  be  so  kind  in  the  afterwhile, 

But  what  have  we  been  today  ? 
We  shall  bring  to  each  lonely  life  a  smile, 

But  what  have  we  brought  today  ? 
We  shall  give  to  truth  a  grander  birth, 
And  to  steadfast  faith  a  deeper  worth, 
We  shall  feed  the  hungering  souls  of  earth, 

But  whom  have  we  fed  today  ? 

Nixon  Waterman. 


O  Thou,  who  dost  give  the  day  for  labor  and  the 
night  for  rest,  help  us  to  work  Thy  works  while  yet 
the  day  time  lasteth,  that  when  the  night  shuts  in 
around  us  we  may  rest  in  Thee.  Teach  us,  we  pray 
Thee,  and  help  us,  to  do  Thy  will  not  with  eye- 
service  but  heartily;  not  as  those  who  shrink  from 
service,  but  as  those  who  find  their  joy  in  duties  done. 
One  by  one  as  opportunities  present  themselves  for 
kindness,  for  helpfulness,  for  generosity,  may  we  take 
and  use  them  to  the  glory  of  Thy  holy  name,  and  the 
building  up  of  Thy  great  kingdom  on  the  Earth. 
Amen. 

Paul  Revere  Frothingham. 


24  $anuzvg  22 


Is  there  anything  that  pleases  you  more  than  to  be 
trusted,  —  to  have  even  a  little  child  look  up  into  your 
face,  and  put  out  its  hand  to  meet  yours,  and  come 
to  you  confidingly?  By  so  much  as  God  is  better  than 
you  are,  by  so  much  more  does  he  love  to  be  trusted.  .  .  . 
There  is  a  hand  stretched  out  to  you,  —  a  hand  with 
a  wound  in  the  palm  of  it.  Reach  out  the  hand  of  your 
faith  to  clasp  it,  and  cling  to  it,  for  without  faith  it  is 
impossible  to  please  God. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


Father  Divine,  we  come  to  Thee  as  the  night  falls 
about  us  with  confiding  trustful  hearts.  Qnly  so  can 
we  find  the  mood  of  peace  which  gives  repose  and  help- 
ful rest.  Thou  knowest  our  sins  and  our  sufferings 
but  Thou  knowest  also  the  good  we  long  for  and  the 
sunshine  in  our  souls,  and  so  according  to  our  needs 
we  are  sure  Thy  blessing  will  rest  upon  us  in  disci- 
pline, or  uplift,  in  peace  or  stress;  but  whatever  it 
be  we  know  it  is  for  our  greatest  good.    Then  not  as 

Infants  crying  in  the  night  and  with  no  language 
but  a  cry "  but  children  looking  into  the  face  of 
Father,  Friend,  Helper  Divine,  we  come  to  praise  and 
to  adore.     Amen. 

Stephen   Herbert  Roblln. 


3famtarg  23  25 


By  one  great  Heart,  the  universe  is  stirred; 

By  its  strong  pulse,  stars  climb  the  darkening  blue; 

It  throbs  in  each  fresh  sunset's  changing  hue, 
And  thrills  through  low  sweet  song  of  every  bird  : 

By  It,  the  plunging  blood  reds  all  mens  veins; 

Joy  feels  that  Heart  against  his  rapturous  own, 
And  on  It,  Sorrow  breathes   her  sharpest  groan; 

It  bounds  through  gladnesses  and  deepest  pains. 

"Tis  felt  in  sunshine  greening  the  soft  sod, 
In  children's  smiling,  as  in  mother's  tears; 
And,  for  strange  comfort,  through  the  aching  years, 

Men's  hungry  souls  have  named  that  great  Heart,  God ! 

Margaret  Deland. 

And  now,  O  God,  Our  God,  we  would  do  more 
than  speak  about  Thee;  we  would  speak  to  Thee. 
We  would  do  more  than  hear  about  Thee,  we  would 
listen  directly  to  Thee  in  the  intimate  communion 
of  our  prayer.  Speak  to  us  the  word  which  is  best  for 
us  and  we  shall  try  to  be  willing  to  listen  to  it  and 
receive  it.  We  pray  to  Thee  out  of  our  needs;  fill 
our  emptiness  with  Thy  power  and  love.  We  pray 
to  Thee  out  of  the  fulness  of  our  souls;  help  us  to 
appreciate  it  and  consecrate  it  for  ourselves  and  others. 
Thou  hast  indeed  been  much  to  the  world  and  to  many; 
be  much  to  us  now  and  here.  As  in  the  earnestness  of 
labor,  so  in  the  quietness  of  rest  be  our  divine  parent; 
and  let  us  work  and  rest  under  Thy  strong  and  kind 
protection.     Amen. 

Henry  T.   Secrist. 


26  3Jamtarg  24 


Be  still  and  sleep,  my  soul ! 
Now  gentle  footed  Night 
In  softly  shadowed  stole 
Hides  all  the  world  from  sight. 


Thou  hast  no  need  to  wake. 
Thou   art  no  sentinel, 
Love  all  the  care  will  take 
And  wisdom  watch eth  well. 

Wake  not,  weep  not,  but  rest. 
The  stars  in  silence  roll 
On  the  world's  mother  breast. 
Be  still  and  sleep,  my  soul! 

Edward  Rowland  Sill. 


My  Father,  as  a  little  child  rests  in  its  mother's 
arms,  so  would  we  rest  this  night  in  Thee  who  art 
the  mother  and  father  of  all  who  live.  Help  us  to  be 
still;  to  put  aside  every  anxious  or  troubled  thought, 
committing  our  spirits  into  Thy  keeping  as  did  the 
Master  and  like  Him  finding  mind  and  heart  filled 
with  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  understanding. 
In  quietness  and  confidence  has  been  our  strength 
all  through  the  day;  in  quietness  and  confidence  we 
now  lay  down  to  sleep;  assured  that  it  is  well  with  us 
and  with  all  whom  we  love,  because  Thou  art  with 
all.  We  feel  Thine  everlasting  arms  beneath  us,  they 
will  cradle  us  all  through  the  night.    Amen. 

Alfred   D.  K.   Shurtleff. 


Stomtarg  25  27 


"  #/</  me  come"  said  Peter.  "  Come"  said  Christ. 
Peter  went  as  jar  as  his  little  faith  would  carry  him; 
he  also  cried  as  far  as  his  little  faith  would  help : 
"  Lord,  save  me;  I  perish;  "  and  so  with  coming  and 
crying  he  was  kept  from  sinking,  though  he  had  but 
little  faith.  Jesus  stretched  forth  his  hand  and  caught 
him,  and  said  unto  him,  "  0  thou  of  little  faith,  where- 
fore didst  thou  doubt?  " 

BUNYAN. 


God's  law  for  the  ascending  dove  and  for  the  Ascend- 
ing soul  is  identical.  It  is  the  law  of  overcoming  resist- 
ance. It  is  in  the  strong  gale  that  the  white-winged  sea- 
gull can  soar  without  moving  her  wings;  the  force  of 
gravity  that  would  draw  her  downwards  is  counteracted 
by  the  force  of  the  air  striking  against  her  wings.  The 
one  thing  needful  is  right  attitude. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


Heavenly  Father,  since  Thou  hast  called  us  chil- 
dren, and  put  the  arms  of  Thy  providence  about  us, 
nourished  us,  and  comforted  us  in  times  of  trouble, 
we  will  trust  in  Thee,  and  live  in  that  faith  far  beyond 
our  understanding  of  Thy  ways.  We  cannot  per- 
ceive the  mystery  of  life;  but  we  believe  in  Thee,  and 
that  Thou  art  not  only  all  that  is  best  in  men,  out  of  all 
proportion  to  any  experience  of  men,  but  that  Thou 
art  a  being  of  attribute  and  of  character  such  as  no 
man  can  understand  in  this  state.  Be  thou  a  refuge 
to  us  tonight.  Let  our  souls  fly  to  Thee  as  doves  to 
their  windows.  Let  Thy  heart  be  the  pavilion  in 
which  we  are  placed  until  all  storms  are  past.    Amen. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


28  3temtarg  26 


/  sailed  away  on  a  sea  of  dreams, 

In   a  boat  of  fancy's  building, 
And  my  oars  were  rays  from  the  brightest  beams 

Of  a  summer  sunset's  gilding; 
And  I  steered  my  boat  over  wavelets  fair 
By  a  red  cloud  rudder  reflected  there,  — 

Away  from  petty  cares  and  ties, 

Away  from  the  round  of  duty, 
To  the  limitless  sweep  of  radiant  skies, 

And  the  reach  of  boundless  beauty. 
And  I  brought  my  boat  to  an   island  green, 
Where  gladness  reigns  o'er  a  realm  supreme. 

Then  back  to  earth  —  for  one  may  not  stay 

On  the  Isle  of  Gladness  ever, 
But  I  brought  my  boat  from  its  strand  away 

To  shine  on  my  life  endeavor. 
And  this  gem  of  hope  in  the  darkness  gleams 
Like  my  sunbright  oars  on  the  Sea  of  Dreams. 

W.  F.  Merrill. 


Most  merciful  Father,  let  the  dreams  and  visions 
of  joy  and  gladness  dispel  the  discouragements  arising 
from  the  disappointments  and  failures  of  the  day. 
Let  the  ideal  take  the  place  of  the  imperfect  real. 
Let  hope  for  the  morrow  possess  us  lest  the  memory  of 
today  or  yesterday  crush  us.  Whether  joy  or  sorrow, 
let  us  find  life's  highest  purpose  realized  in  obedience 
to  Thee  and  service  to  our  fellows  in  Thy  name.  Amen. 

Albert  Evans. 


Sfamtarj?  27 


Doubt  shrouds  mans  path  in  fog  and  mist, 
Yet  God's  revealments  still  persist. 
And  he  who  follows,  day  by  day, 
The  best  he  meets  upon  the  way 
Shall  ever  climb,   and  ever  learn 
The  truer  good  at  every  turn, 
Until  his  feet  are  given  wings 
To  haste  toward  eternal  things, 
And  reach  at  last,  upon  the  height, 
The  glory  of  unclouded  Light. 

Priscilla  Leonard. 


O  Thou  loving  Father,  heed  our  cry.  Sometimes 
our  faith  falters  and  our  love  seems  almost  to  lapse. 
In  a  moment  of  melancholy  with  Thomas  of  old,  we 
almost  say,  "  We  will  not  believe."  Forgive  us,  our 
Father.  Lead  us  through  the  portals  of  love  out 
into  the  field  of  faith.  Dissolve  the  doubt  of  fog  and 
mist  and  so  reveal  Thyself  to  our  blinded  eyes  that 
we  can  in  joy  exclaim,  "  Our  Lord  and  our  God." 
And  if  we  cannot  see,  may  we  know  the  greater  bless- 
ing which  comes  to  those  who  "  have  not  seen  and 
yet  have  believed."    Amen. 

Llewellyn  L.  Henson. 


3o  3*amtarg  28 


//  you  have  a  song  to  sing, 

Sing  it  now. 
Let  the  notes  of  gladness  ring 
Clear  as  song  of  birds  in  spring, 
Let  every  day  some  music  bring; 

Sing  it  now. 

If  you  have  kind  words  to  say, 

Say  them  now. 
Tomorrow  may  not  come  your  way, 
Do  a  kindness  while  you  may, 
Loved  ones  will  not  always  stay, 

Say  them  now. 

If  you   have  a  smile  to  show, 

Show  it  now. 
Make  hearts  happy,  roses  grow, 
Let  the  friends  around  you   know 
The  love  you  have  before  they  go; 

Show  it  now. 

Charles  R.  Skinner. 

O  God,  Thou  art  the  God  of  all  joy  and  of  all 
love.  Thou  hast  made  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth 
after  the  beauty  of  Thine  own  image,  and  infinitely 
multiplied  the  sources  of  happiness.  Help  us  to  drink 
in  through  every  pore  of  our  beings  the  brightness, 
buoyancy  and  inspiration  with  which  the  universe 
is  filled,  dissipating  gloom  and  despondency  in  our- 
selves and  others,  and  filling  the  world  with  rejoicing 
and  rapture.  So  may  our  souls  and  all  souls  rise  above 
depression  and  pessimism  into  self-confidence,  elation 
and  victory.  And  thus  may  the  eventide  of  our  lives 
bring  us  to  rest  and  peace!    Amen. 

Levi  Gilbert. 


3famiarg  29  31 


Dear  restless  heart,  be  still!  Don't  fret  and  worry  so; 
God  hath  a  thousand  ways  His  love  and  help  to  show; 
Just  trust  and  trust  and  trust  until  His  will  you  know. 

Dear  restless  heart,  be  still;  for  peace  is   God's  own 

smile, 
His  love  can  every  wrong  and  sorrow  reconcile. 
"Just  love  and  love  and  love  and  calmly  wait  awhile. 

Dear  restless  heart,  be  brave  !    Don't  moan  and  sorrow 

so. 
Just  hope  and  hope  and  hope  until  you  braver  grow, 
He  hath  a  meaning  kind  in  the  chilly  winds  that  blow. 

Edith  Willis  Linn. 


Take  unto  Thyself,  O  Father! 

This  folded  day  of  Thine, 

This  weary  day  of  mine; 
Its  ragged  corners  cut  me  yet. 
Oh,  still    the  jar  and  fret! 
Father,  do  not  forget 

That  I  am  tired 

With  this  day  of  Thine. 

Breathe  Thy  pure  breath,  watching  Father, 
On  this  marred  day  of  Thine, 
This  wandering  day  of  mine; 
Be  patient  with  its  blur  and  blot, 
Wash  it  white  of  stain  and  spot, 
Reproachful  eyes!    remember  not 
That  I  have  grieved  Thee 
On  this  day  of  Thine. 

Amen. 

Elizabeth   Stuart  Phelp& 


32  Samtarg  30 


Whence  comes  the  dream,  if  none  may  see 
The  daylight  of  reality? 

Whence  comes  to  human  hearts  sweet  love 
If  high  all  mortal  thought  above 

There  lives  not,  Lord  of  star  and  sun, 
Maker  and  lover  all  in  one? 

Whence  comes  the  will  for  high  emprise, 
The  winged  hopes  that  touch  the  skies, 

The  dear  belief  in  life  to  be 
The  picture  of  eternity, 

If  not  {secure  from   Time's  mischance) 
By  our  divine  inheritance  ? 

Mary  F.  Butts. 


O  God,  who  hast  made  us  for  Thy  fellowship, 
we  thank  Thee  for  a  day  in  Thy  service.  For  every 
true  thought  we  thank  Thee,  and  for  all  impulses 
of  love  and  all  willingness  to  labor  at  our  appointed 
tasks.  We  bless  Thee  for  intimations  of  an  immortal 
life  and  a  world  of  infinite  good.  Help  us  to  walk 
by  faith  while  we  wait  for  the  clear  vision.  Forgive 
the  doubt  and  fear  of  hearts  that  seek  Thee,  and  all 
sins  that  we  have  committed  when  forgetful  of  Thee. 
May  we  lie  down  in  peace  knowing  that  Thy  love 
encompasses  us.  Grant  us  renewing  of  strength 
and  refreshing  of  heart  that  we  may  enter  upon"  the 
coming  day  in  gladness  and  hope.    Amen. 

Wilbert  L.  Anderson. 


Sfanuarg  31  33 


We  leave  something  of  our  hearts  in  every  place 
where  joy  or  sorrow  comes  to  us.  Arid  so  the  hearth; 
the  door-stone;  the  old  tree,  that  threw  its  branches 
over  the  house  where  we  were  reared  as  children; 
the  well,  into  which,  from  day  to  day,  many  tears, 
it  may  be,  were  dropped,  as  the  mother  went  to  and  fro; 
the  brook,  that  sang  to  our  sighing;  the  mountain 
ravine,  where  we  wandered  to  get  rid  of  busy  life;  a 
thousand  places  that  in  youth  or  in  struggling  man- 
hood have  been  witnesses  to  our  deep  emotions,  — 
these  things  become  personal  to  us,  and  afterwards 
throw  back,  in  their  shadow,  something  of  our  own 
selves  upon  us,  and  greet  us  with  a  human  sympathy. 
Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Our  Heavenly  Shepherd,  we  thank  Thee  for  the 
"  green  pastures  "  and  the  "  still  waters  ";  for  here 
we  have  known  Thy  presence.  We  thank  Thee  for 
our  places  of  business  and  our  homes  of  service; 
for  here  Thy  rod  and  staff  have  comforted  us.  Today 
Thou  hast  met  us  in  our  daily  task,  in  our  earnest 
conversation,  in  our  Christian  fellowship,  in  our 
moments  of  relaxation.  May  we  so  retain  these  ex- 
periences that  tomorrow  we  may  meet  them  all  with 
the  joy  of  recognition;  may  find  them  true  friends 
and  fellow-workers;  may  use  them  once  again  to 
climb  heavenward  and  love  them  because  they  are 
rounds  of  our  Jacob's  ladder.  Thou  art  our  king  and 
Lord,  and  so  we  accept  Thy  assignment;  but  Thou 
art  our  Father,  and  so  we  accept  these  experiences 
as  a  part  of  the  "  all  things  "  freely  given  to  us  with 
Christ.    Amen. 

Carl  D.  Case. 


34  iFetivuavj?  I 


Sing  a  song  o'  sunshine; 

Blue  the  winter's  sky, 
Snows  melt  for  the  crocus, 

Spring  comes  by  and  by, 
Sing  a  song  o'  sunshine  for  each  passing  day, 
'Twill  life's  labor  lighten,  cheer  earth's  pilgrim  way. 

Sing  a  song  o'  sunshine; 

Tho'  today  is  drear, 
Rainbows  arch  the  heavens 

When   clouds  disappear. 
Sing  a  song  o'  sunshine  to  the  hearts  you  love  — 
Harmonies  of  heaven  from  the  heights  above. 

Sing  a  song  o'  sunshine, 

Live  a  life  of  cheer, 
Smile  instead  of  frowning, 

Never  fret  or  fear; 
Do  your  duty  gayly,  cast  your  cares    aside  — 
There    is    sunshine   somewhere  —  choose   life's    sunny 
side. 

Gertrude  Rugg  Field. 

Our  dear  heavenly  Father,  the  clouds  may  have 
hung  heavily  over  us  this  day,  and  the  approaching 
night  may  be  of  the  blackest,  but  within  our  hearts 
there  is  brightness  and  cheer,  for  we  have  put  our 
trust  in  Thee,  whom  we  know  to  be  the  unfailing 
source  of  light  and  life  and  joy.  As  we  lay  our 
selves  down  to  sleep,  may  we  trust  that  Thou 
wilt  guard  us  safely,  until  we  again  waken  re- 
freshed for  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  life. 
Amen. 

Frank  Lincoln   Masseck. 


iFcbruarj?  2  35 


Shall  a  child  cry  when  the  mother  takes  it  up  at 
night  out  of  a  frightful  dream?  No.  The  child  seeks 
its  mother's  bosom,  and  is  at  rest.  Shall  God's  great 
arm  be  round  about  you,  and  shall  the  bosom  of  unfailing 
love  be  your  supply,  and  shall  you  go  moaning  and 
crying  as  if  you  were  orphans  and  were  neglected?  Oh, 
let  the  light  of  Christ's  love,  the  joy  of  his  presence,  the 
opening  of  the  heavens  so  that  you  shall  see  Him  as  He 
is,  redeem  you  from  anxious  care! 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Unto  Thee,  O  Lord,  we  come  with  thanksgiving 
for  all  Thou  hast  done  and  hast  promised  to  do  for 
Thy  children.  We  pray  for  wisdom.  There  appears 
to  be  food,  clothing  and  shelter  enough  for  all  Thy 
human  family.  There  seems  to  be  grace  enough, 
love  enough,  health  enough  for  us  all,  if  we  were 
wise  enough  to  seek  Thee  aright.  Fill  us  with  the 
best  ideas  from  the  world  of  sense,  and  inspire  our 
souls  with  love  and  life  from  the  world  divine,  that 
we  may  with  the  use  of  both  worlds  be  wiser  than  the 
ancients.  Open  our  eyes  to  see  our  golden  opportuni- 
ties and  deepen  our  appreciation  of  the  blessings 
placed  by  Thee  at  our  hands:  till  the  joy  of  a  great 
gratitude  fills  our  hearts  with  peace  and  moves  our 
tongues  to  praise. 

Russell  H.  Conwell. 


36  iFtftruars  3 


o 


Hope  stood  one  morning  by  the  way, 

And  stretched  her  fair  white  hand  to  me, 

And  softly  whispered,  "  For  this  day 
I'll  company  with  thee." 

"  Ah   no,  dear  Hope,"  I  sighing  said, 
Oft  have  you  joined  me  in  the  morn, 
But  when  evening  came  you  fled 
And  left  me  all  forlorn. 

"  'Tis  better  far  to  walk  alone 

Than  have  your  company  awhile 
And  then  to  lose  it  and  go  on 
For  weary  mile  on  mile." 

She  turned  rebuked.  I  went  my  way 
But  sad  the  sunshine  seemed,  and  chill; 

I  missed  her,  missed  her  all  the  day, 
And  oh !  I  miss  her  still. 

Susan  Coolidge. 

O  Master!  It  is  not  so.  Thank  God!  We  have 
not  found  it  so.  Thou  hast  not  failed  us,  Hope  of 
our  souls;  Hope  of  glory,  Thou  art  with  us  still. 
Abide  with  us.  We  will  not  say  Thee  nay.  "  One 
step  enough  for  me,"  if  Thou  wilt  go  with  us  but 
that  one.  But  we  trust  Thee  for  all  the  steps,  all  the 
days,  all  the  nights,  —  nights  of  ignorance,  nights  of 
sorrow,  the  night  of  death.  We  have  refused  in  the 
past,  but  not  now.  No  more  forever.  Henceforth 
we  walk  together.  The  loneliness  is  gone.  We  are 
leaning  on  Him  who  has  promised  "  I  am  with  you 
always."  We  thank  Thee,  Master,  and  will  go  on. 
Amen. 

William  O.   Shepard. 


iFefcruavg  4  37 


Body,  how  hast  thou  fared  today? 

I  have  had  the  best  that  the  world  can  give; 
With  my  costly  feasting  and  rich  array. 

Where  is  the  prince  who  could  better  live?" 

And  how  has   it  been  with  thee,  0  soul? 

I  have  lived  on  a  crust  or  two  of  prayer, 
And  had  not  a  vestment  that  was  whole:  — 

Ay !    how  much  worse  could  a  beggar  fare  ?  " 
Charlotte  Fiske  Bates. 


O  God,  we  pray  this  night  for  the  power,  the  desire, 
to  pray.  Starved  are  we,  but  we  feel  no  hunger; 
naked,  but  we  feel  no  shame.  The  cry  of  our  bodies 
for  rich  fare  and  vesture  has  stifled  the  cry  of  our 
souls  —  ourselves.  We  are  as  one  sick  unto  death 
but  who  in  folly  thinks  himself  in  abounding  health. 
Pity  us,  that  we  know  this  and  care  not.  Save  us 
from  that  tyranny  of  the  flesh  which  is  dearer  to  us 
than  the  immortal  hope,  the  service  of  our  fellows, 
the  companionship  of  Thy  spirit.  Grant  unto  us 
the  suffering  sense  of  our  soul's  bitter  poverty,  that 
we  may  be  led  to  seek  and  find  the  blessedness  of  Thy 
heavenly  kingdom.     Amen. 

Robert  E.  Brown. 


3§  jFetontarj?  5 


One  ship  drives  east,  and  another  west, 

With  the  self-same  winds  that  blow; 

'Tis  the  set  of  the  satis 

And  not  the  gales, 

Which  decides  the  way  to  go. 

Like  the  winds  of  the  sea  are  the  ways  of  fate, 

As  we  voyage  along  through  life; 

'Tis  the  will  of  the  soul 

That  decides  its  goal, 

And  not  the  calm  or  the  strife. 

Anonymous. 


Our  Father,  the  tossing,  restless,  terrifying  sea  is 
Thine.  And  life's  sea  with  all  its  voyaging  craft  is 
under  Thy  watchful  eye.  In  this  thought  do  Thou  now 
give  our  hearts  calm.  And  give  us  to  see  more  clearly 
the  place  and  power  of  our  own  souls  in  determining 
our  haven.  More  than  this,  —  may  this  present  hold 
for  us  such  interest,  and  sacred  worth,  and  may  the 
future  beckon  us  with  such  charm  that  we  shall 
crave  and  receive  from  Thee  the  strong  heart  and 
hand  for  our  voyage.  Cheer  us,  if  it  please  Thee, 
with  brighter  skies.  But  may  darkness  and  light 
alike  contribute  to  the  sturdiness  of  our  spirit.  In 
the  shadows  that  now  gather,  becalmed,  we  trust- 
ingly commit  all  to  Thee.  May  we  be  off  cheerily 
with  the  morning.     Amen. 

Arthur  W.   Stalker. 


iFcfitttars  6  39 


He  shall  give  his  angels  charge 

Over  thee  in   all  thy  ways. 
Though  the  thunders  roam   at  large, 

Though  the  lightning  round  me  plays, 
Like  a  child  I  lay  my  head 
In  sweet  sleep  upon  my  bed. 

Though  the  terror  come  so  close, 
It  shall  have  no  power  to  smite; 

It  shall  deepen   my  repose, 
Turn  the  darkness  into  light. 

Touch  of  angels'   hands  is  sweet,  — 

Not  a  stone  shall  hurt  my  feet. 

All  thy  waves  and  billows  go 

Over  me  to  press  me  down 
Into  arms  so  strong,  I  know 

They  will  never  let  me  drown. 
Ah!   my  God,  how  good  Thy  will! 
I  will  nestle  and  be  still. 

Alice  Freeman  Palmer. 

O  Father,  we  would  not  forget  Thy  benefits.  For 
life  we  thank  Thee;  the  throbbing  life  of  Nature; 
the  quick-beating  pulse  of  human  hearts;  for  love 
we  thank  Thee;  that  love  which  has  been  ours, 
blessing  us,  saving  us,  creating  us  anew.  O  God,  we 
call  Thee,  and  Thou  art  here.  We  are  not  strong; 
grant  us  Thy  strength.  We  cannot  see;  grant  us  Thy 
light.  We  do  not  know  the  way;  lead  us,  O  Father, 
by  Thy  Spirit.  We  falter,  we  wander,  we  dare  not 
speak;  only  teach  Thou  us  to  pray.  So,  in  us,  and 
through  us,  may  Thy  kingdom  come,  and  Thy  will 
be  done.     Amen. 

Christopher  R.  Eliot. 


4o  jFtfintarg  7 


/  ought.    I  can.    I  will. 

Vincent. 

/  know  of  no  more  encouraging  fact  than  the  un- 
questionable ability  of  man  to  elevate  his  life  by  a  con- 
scious endeavor.  It  is  something  to  be  able  to  paint  a 
particular  picture  or  to  carve  a  statue,  and  so  make  a 
few  objects  beautiful;  but  it  is  far  more  glorious  to 
carve  and  paint  the  very  atmosphere  and  medium 
through  which  we  look,  which  morally  we  can  do. 

Thoreau. 


Gracious  Father,  every  eventide  might  remind 
us  of  life's  final  sunset.  Each  day,  with  time's  priv- 
ilege and  earth's  resources  and  the  bright,  blue  firma- 
ment overhanging,  is  a  call  to  action  and  improve- 
ment. Aid  and  inspire  us  to  feel  that  benevolence 
is  beauty  —  that  virtue  is  victory,  that  childlike  faith 
in  Thy  wise  love  will  gladden  for  us  the  new  and  ever- 
lasting  day.      Amen. 

Robert  Bruce  Clark. 


iFcfcntarg  8  41 


It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  be  anything  else  but  kind, 
There  are  sinners  around  us,  'tis  true,  but  'tis  easy  to 

find 
That  they  stumble  and  fall,  not  because  they  are  bad, 

but  ore  blind. 

It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  be  anything  else  but  just, 
For  today  or  tomorrow  we  die,  and  our  bodies  are  dust, 
And  the  millionaire  lies  with  the  beggar  who   craved 
for  a  crust. 

It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  be  anything  else  but  good, 
It  is  meet  that  we  serve  our  Redeemer  the  way  that  we 

should, 
It  is  meet  that  we  love  Him  and  serve  Him  the  way 

that  He  would. 

To  be  honest  and  pure,  to  be  faithful  and  brave  and 

resigned  — 
Is  the  standard  He  sets  for  a  heart  and  a  soul  and  a 

mind, 
And  always  and  aye  to  the  end,  to  be  kind  —  to  be  kind. 
Denis  A.  McCarthy. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  as  we  leave  the  day  and 
commit  ourselves  to  Thy  care  for  the  night,  help  us 
to  put  away  all  bitterness,  all  criticism  and  all  envy. 
Help  us  to  be  kind  and  just  and  good.  Then  with 
peace  in  our  hearts  shall  we  sleep  sweetly  and  even 
while  we  sleep  shall  we  be  enriched  with  love,  and 
awake  refreshed.     Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


42  jFtt>rttav£  9 


His  eyes  were  dim  with  dust  of  the  mart. 
With  woe  of  the  world  he  was  sick  at  heart. 

Then  lo!    he  was  met  by  a  mighty  song. 
Its  surge  upbore  him  above  the  throng,  — 
//  left  him  clean  and  brave  and  strong. 

Never  again  shall  he  hate  the  mart. 

He  yearns  to  give  it  the  song  of  his  heart. 

Katharine  H.  Austin. 


We  thank  Thee,  Master,  that  Thou  hast  not  left 
us  to  toil  unaided  and  alone.  This  day  we  have 
heard  Thy  voice  above  the  clamor  of  the  market- 
place. Thou  hast  given  us  visions  of  earth's  beauty 
and  of  Thy  gracious  love,  even  while  our  eyes  have 
looked  upon  struggle  and  unrest.  Thou  hast  filled 
our  hearts  with  songs  of  gratitude  and  hast  made  us 
to  rejoice,  although  the  burdens  were  heavy  and 
our  cherished  plans  failed  of  fruition.  Thou  hast 
kept  alive  our  faith  in  our  fellow  men,  although  the 
weakness  and  wickedness  of  the  heart  have  been  re- 
vealed to  us  anew.  Keep  our  ears  ever  open  to  Thy 
messages  of  cheer,  and  our  eyes  undimmed  that  we 
may  behold  Thee.     Amen. 

Lathan  A.   Crandall. 


iFctintarg  10  43 


Men  often  think,  "  Oh,  if  my  father  were  here, 
he  would  do  so  and  so."  Why  do  you  not  go  to  God? 
"  Well,"  you  answer,  "  he  ts  divine."  Yes,  he  is 
divine,  but  not  in  the  sense  that  he  is  less  good  than 
your  father.  He  ts  not  visible  as  your  father  is,  he  does 
not  speak  as  your  father  speaks,  he  does  not  touch  your 
hand  as  your  father  touches  it;  but,  in  so  far  as  that 
which  constitutes  the  goodness  of  your  father  to  you, 
God  is  unspeakably  more  than  your  father  is.  He  is 
richer  in  heart,  purer  in  sympathy,  and  more  continu- 
ous in  his  desires  and  yearnings  for  you,  than  any 
earthly  parent  can  be. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Our  Father,  give  us  the  faith  that  makes  Thy 
Fatherhood  real  to  us.  That  like  a  sense  divine 
quickens  memory  so  that  precious  promise,  and  tender 
words  of  love,  come  assuringly  to  us.  Be  Thyself 
the  inner  light  that  causes  the  night  to  shine  beyond 
the  day.  Then  wilt  Thou  be  so  real,  so  constant  — 
and  we  so  warmly  in  Thy  thought,  interest,  doing, 
that  all  doubt  will  go,  and  the  joy  of  believing  will 
abide.  Thy  voice  will  be  heard  in  the  sweet  silence 
of  our  perfect  trust;  Thy  touch  be  felt  in  the  sense 
of  a  Father's  goodness  enswathing  us  and  making 
us  deeply  glad.  Again  and  again  will  our  hearts 
remind  us  that  all  Thy  riches  are  for  Thy  children, 
and  that  we  are  graven  on  the  palms  of  Thy  hands, 
and  abide  in  an  Infinite  heart  that  ever  loves  and 
never  forgets  its  own.    Amen. 

Charles  H.  Watson. 


44  jFefcrttar^  n 


At  vesper-tide, 

One  virtuous  and  pure  in   heart  did  pray, 

Since  none  I  wronged  in  deed  or  word  today, 
From  whom  should  I  crave  pardon  ?     Master,  say." 

A  voice  replied: 

From  the  sad  child  whose  joy  thou  hast  not  planned; 
The  goaded  beast  whose  friend  thou  didst  not  stand; 
The  rose  that  died  for  water  from  thy  hand." 

Emily  Sargent  Lewis. 


Our  Father  in  heaven,  as  the  day  goeth  away  and 
the  shadows  of  evening  are  stretched  out,  we  seek 
Thy  pardon  and  peace.  Thou  who  dost  feed  the 
birds,  clothe  the  grass,  adorn  the  lily,  Thou  who 
dost  shepherd  the  one  sheep  and  seek  the  one  lost 
son,  teach  us  how  little  words  and  feeble  prayers  and 
small  services  enter  into  character  and  immortality. 
Forgive,  we  beseech  Thee,  our  selfish  satisfactions 
and  the  sin  that  has  been  mingled  with  the  best  we 
have  tried  to  do.  Flelp  us  to  see  that  nothing  done 
for  self  alone  is  great,  and  nothing  done  for  Thee  is 
small.  Teach  us  to  appreciate  everyday  joys,  to  be 
faithful  in  trifles,  to  feel  that  duty  is  near.  Remember 
not  against  us  the  service  neglected,  the  duty  for- 
gotten, and  help  us  henceforth  to  do  our  work  with 
pure  intent  and  loving  obedience.  May  we  lay  our- 
selves down  in  peace  to  sleep;  and,  should  our  eyes 
behold  the  morning  light,  may  we  have  strength 
to  correct  the  mistakes  of  this  day,  and  with  patience 
follow  Him  who  went  about  doing  good.     Amen. 

Frank  L.   Goodspeed. 


iFcbntarij  12  45 


(Abraham  Lincoln.     Born   1809) 

Fate  struck  the  hour! 

A  crisis  hour  of  Time. 
Tb?  tocsin  of  a  people  clanging  forth 
Thro'  the  wild  South   and  thro'  the  startled  North 
Called  for  a  leader,  Master  of  his  kind, 
Fearless  and  firm,  with   clear,  foreseeing  mind; 
Who  should  not  flinch  from   calumny  or  scorn, 
Who  in  the  depth  of  night,  could  ken  the  morn; 

Wielding  a  giant  power 

Humbly,  with  faith  sublime. 
God  knew  the  man  his  sovereign  grace  had  sealed; 
God  touched  the  man,  and  Lincoln  stood  revealed! 

J.    L.    H. 

We  thank  Thee,  our  Father,  for  the  land  in  which 
we  live.  Thy  providence  has  kept  us  in  the  past, 
and  Thy  right  hand  is  upon  us  for  good  at  all  times. 
In  times  of  darkness  and  disaster,  Thou  didst  raise 
up  for  us  men  who  were  to  this  nation  what  Moses 
and  Joshua  and  David  were  to  Israel,  men  who 
bore,  as  they  did,Thy  Divine  Commission.  We  thank 
Thee  for  Washington,  the  Father  of  his  country,  and 
for  Lincoln,  its  saviour.  We  pray  Thee  that  the  holy 
spirit  of  patriotism  proceeding  from  them  may  so 
inspire  our  citizens  that  we  may  grow  more  and  more 
into  the  image  and  likeness  of  these  divinely  ap- 
pointed leaders.  And  raise  up  for  us,  O  Father, 
in  days  to  come,  those  who  shall  perpetuate  the  work 
of  the  past,  and  make  our  land  a  blessing  to  all  the 
nations.     Amen. 

Marion  D.   Shutter. 


46  jFctivttars  13 


When  you  cry  out  for  God,  He  will  cry  out  for  you. 
There  was  never  a  heart  homesick  for  heaven,  that 
heaven  was  not  homesick  for  it.  Never  did  a  soul  long 
for  God,  that  God  did  not  long  for  that  soul. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 

There  is  no  loneliness  to  the  believer.  He  may  be 
misunderstood,  slandered,  disliked,  persecuted;  but 
near  him  is  the  mysterious  presence  of  a  sympathizing 
Father,  shaping,  guiding,  influencing  every  step  in 
his  path  through  life  towards  a  definite  and  a  blessed 
end. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


From  Thee  is  all  that  soothes  the  life  of  man, 
His  high  endeavors  and  his  glad  success, 
His  strength  to  suffer  and  his  will  to  serve. 
But  O  Thou  sovereign  Giver  of  all  good, 
Thou  art,  of  all  Thy  gifts,  Thyself  the  crown;  — 
Give  what  Thou  canst,  without  Thee  we  are  poor, 
And  with  Thee  rich,  take  what  Thou  wilt  away. 

Amen. 

William   Cowper. 


iFtftruarj?  14  47 


In  the  loom  of  life  we  weave  each  day 
On  the  warp  of  circumstance, 
The  colors  grave  and  the  colors  gay, 
However  the  threads  may  chance. 

But  the  web   is  ours  to  make  or  mar, 
And  the  pattern  we  may  choose; 
We  may  make  the  fabric  strong  and  fair. 
And  blend  as  we  will  the  hues. 

The  glint  of  gold  from  our  happy  days 

May  shine  through  the  sombre  shades, 

And  love's  warm  gleams,  like  the  morning's  rays, 

And  beauty  that  never  fades. 

Mary  Vaughan. 

Lord,  Thou  knowest  the  circumstance  into  which 
we  have  this  day  woven  a  thread  that  must  constitute 
an  imperishable  part  of  the  fabric  of  our  lives.  Make 
the  thread  strong  and  the  fabric  stainless.  Impress 
us  deeply  with  the  truth  that  the  web  we  are  today 
weaving  is  our  own  and  that  we  are  responsible 
for  its  pattern,  its  strength,  and  its  hues.  If  in  our 
lives  today  there  have  been  sombre  shades  there 
have  also  been  some  glintings  of  golden  sunshine, 
helpful,  we  trust,  to  all  with  whom  we  have  been  as- 
sociated. Forgive  whatever  there  may  have  been 
amiss  in  thought,  word  or  deed  during  the  day  that 
is  ending  and  grant  that  when  the  loom  of  our  lives 
shall  cease  their  weaving,  the  finished  fabric  may  be 
strong  and  fair,  possessed  of  a  beauty  that  shall  never 
fade.    Amen. 

A.  B.  Leonard. 


48  iFefcrttatrg  15 

"  Tour  way  is  dark,"  the  angel  said, 
Because  you  downward  gaze; 
Look  up!    the  sun  is  overhead; 

Look  up  and  learn  to  praiSe." 
I  looked.     I  learned:     Who  looks  above 
Will  find  in  Heaven   both  Light  and  Love. 

"  Why  upward  gaze?  "  the  angel  said; 
"  Have  you  not  learned  to  know 
The  Light  of  God  shines  overhead 

That  men  may  work  below?  " 
I  learned:  Who  only  looks  above 
May  miss  below  the  work  of  Love. 

And  thus  I  learned  the  lessons  twain: 
The  heart  whose  treasure  is  above 

Will  gladly  turn  to  earth   again 
Because  the  heavens  is  Love. 

Tea,  Love  that  framed  the  starry  height 

Came  down  to  earth  and  gave  it  Light. 

The  Bishop  of  Ripon. 


O  Thou  who  makest  the  darkness  as  well  as  the 
light,  and  who  art  blessing  Thy  children  in  the  gloom 
of  sorrow  as  well  as  in  the  brightness  of  joy,  we  lift 
our  hearts  to  Thee,  that  we  may  find  ourselves  ever- 
more in  the  light  that  is  born  of  love  and  the  con- 
sciousness that  we  are  ever  the  objects  of  Thy  care. 
Kelp  us,  O  Heavenly  Father,  as  the  light  of  Thy 
love  comes  into  our  lives,  to  use  it  to  walk  in  the 
paths  of  peace  and  righteousness,  and  to  do  the  work 
that  falls  to  our  lot  in  a  way  that  is  acceptable  irj  Thy 
sight  by  being  of  service  to  our  fellows. 

Le  Grand  Powers. 


iFcfcruarg  ie  49 


What  matters,  then,  where  your  feet  stand,  or  where- 
with your  hands  are  busy?  So  that  it  is  the  spot  where 
God  has  put  you,  and  the  work  He  has  given  you  to  do? 


Sacrifice  is  the  beginning  of  all  redemption.  We 
must  give  up.  We  must  even  give  up  the  wish  and 
seeming  to  have  a  hand  in  things,  that  we  may  work 
unseen  in  the  elements,  and  make  them  fit  and  health- 
ful; that  daily  bread  and  daily  life  may  be  sweet  again 
in  dear,  old  homely  ways,  and  plentiful  with  all  truly 
blessed   opportunities. 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  that  the  evening 
is  here,  when  we  may  give  back  to  Thee  the  work 
and  the  care  which  have  been  ours  for  the  day. 
Forgive  us  if  we  have  not  done  the  work  well,  forgive 
us  if  we  have  put  ourselves  forward  or  have  sought 
name  or  fame  even  in  our  little  sphere,  but  most  of  all 
forgive  us  if  we  have  borne  the  care  of  the  day  as  a 
burden  of  our  own  rather  than  a  trust,  from  Thee. 
Let  us  find  our  joy  in  bens;  in  the  place  of  Thy 
will,  counting  it  better  to  follow  Thee  in  obscurity 
than  to  go  alone  in  a  larger  place.  For  the  night  ltt 
us  cast  ofF  all  burdens  and  rest  in  Thy  love,  and  so 
be  ready  to  undertake  tomorrow's  work  and  care 
worthily.     Amen. 

Cleland  B.  McAfee. 


50  iFrfcrttarg  17 


/  will  fear  no  evil  "  voices  the  higher  self. 
We  must  eliminate  every  particle  of  the  poison  of 
fear  from  our  minds  before  we  can  arrive  at  the  perfect 
peace  which  cometh  through  understanding. 
Fear  is  only  indolence  of  will. 
Awake  !     Awake  !     Put  on  strength  !  "  was  the 
cry  of  the  old  prophet. 

Charles  B.  Newcomb. 


Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  thank  Thee  for  Thy 
preserving  care  of  this  day,  and  for  all  the  comforts 
of  life  it  has  brought  to  us;  for  the  peace  of  mind 
which  fears  no  evil  in  the  assurance  ihat  Thou  art 
with  us  equally  when  we  walk  in  the  sunshine  of 
prosperity  and  under  the  clouds  of  adversity.  As 
the  disciples  of  Thy  Son,  may  we  follow  in  His  foot- 
steps, having  the  same  mind  which  was  in  him. 
Graciously  watch  over  us  this  night  and  let  us  sleep 
in  quiet,  having  that  love  for  Thee  and  for  our  fellow- 
men  which  casteth  out  fear.  Let  us  awake,  refreshed, 
faithfully  to  perform  every  duty,  endure  every  trial, 
and  enjoy  every  blessing  Thou  shalt  send.    Amen. 

W.   W.  Curry. 


iFcUruavg  18  51 


The  longer  I  live  the  more  I  see 

Of  the  struggles  of  souls  towards  the  heights  above, 
The  stronger  this  truth  comes  home  to  me: 

That  the  Universe  rests  on  the  shoulders  of  love; 
A  love  so  limitless,  deep,  and  broad, 

That  men  have  renamed  it  and  called    it  —  God. 
Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 

God  has  made  you  after  his  own  plan,  and  he  places 
you  just  where  he  wishes  you  to  work  with  htm  to  bring 
about  the  highest  results  for  yourself.  He  has  given 
you  every  opportunity.  Make  yourself  what  you  will. 
Remember  it  lies  with  you.  God  can  make  no  mis- 
takes ! 

Alice  Freeman  Palmer. 


O  Thou,  who  hast  made  us  in  Thine  own  image  — 
who  knowest  our  weaknesses,  no  less  than  the  strength 
which,  through  Thee,  is  possible  for  us  —  look  in 
mercy  we  pray  Thee  upon  this  day's  failures.  Re- 
member them  no  more  against  us.  Establish  Thou 
the  work  of  our  hands  upon  us.  Help  us  to  stay  our 
hearts  on  Thee.  Keep  us  from  complaints  and  mis- 
judgments  of  ourselves  or  of  our  fortune.  Incline 
our  spirits  to  perceive  Thy  will  and  to  seek  eagerly 
that  which,  in  perfect  wisdom,  Thou  hast  ordained. 
May  the  evening  and  the  night  come  upon  us  in 
heavenly  benediction  and  the  morrow  find  us,  as 
never  before,  exultant  children  of  God.     Amen. 

De  Witt  S.  Clark. 


52  iFrtrttarg  19 


Our  little  thoughts  gambol  close  to  God's  abyss, 
Children  whose  home  is  by  the  precipice. 
Fear  not  thy  little  ones  shall  o'er-  it  fall: 
Solid,  though  viewless,  is  the  girdling  wall. 

William  Watson. 

So  faith   is  strong 

Only  when  we  are  strong,  shrinks  when  we  shrink. 

It  comes  when  music  stirs  us,  and  the  chords, 

Moving  on   to  some  grand  climax,  shake  our  souls, 

With   influx   new  that  makes  new  energies, 

It  comes  in  swellings  of  the  heart  and  tears 

That  rise  at  noble  and  at  gentle  deeds. 

George  Eliot. 


Heavenly  Father,  God  of  the  Day  and  of  the  Night, 
Thou  whom  we  need  so  much  at  all  times  but  es- 
pecially when  darkness  enshrouds  and  we  are  alone; 
Thou  who  knowing  better  than  ourselves  our  need 
are  ever  nearer  than  we  think,  grant  us  this  night  the 
unconsciousness  and  perfect  rest  without  which  we 
cannot  renew  our  strength.  Work  Thou  for  us  while 
we  sleep,  so  that  when  we  wake  we  shall  find  the 
puzzling  problem  solved,  the  anxiety  gone,  fear  dis- 
placed by  hope,  weariness  by  energy.  Why  is  it 
that  we  are  not  always  strong  and  joyous  and  confident 
when  Thou,  who  hast  never  failed  us,  offerest  freely 
for  our  use  all  the  Divine  store  of  Thy  strength  and 
joy  and  buoyant  faith  ?  We  purpose  to  do  better 
tomorrow.  Lord  forgive  us  yet  once  more  as  we  lie 
down  to  sleep  tonight.    Amen. 

Charles  P.   Fagnani. 


iFc&ruarg  20  53 


You  sail  and  you  seek  for  the  Fortunate  Isles, 

The  old  Greek  Isles  of  the  yellow-birds'   song? 
Then  steer  straight  on  through  the  watery  miles, 

Straight  on,  straight  on,   and  you   can't  go  wrong. 
Nay,  not  to  the  left,  nay,  not  to  the  right, 
But  on,  straight  on,  and  the  isles  are  in  sight, 

The  Fortunate  Isles  where  the  yellow-birds  sing, 

And  life  lies  girt  with  a  golden   ring. 

And  what  are  the  names  of  the  Fortunate  Isles? 

Why!    Duty  and  Love  and  a  large  Content. 
ho!  these  are  the  Isles  of  the  watery  miles, 

That  God  let  down  from  the  firmament. 
ho,  Duty  and  hove,  and  a  true  man ' s  Trust; 
Your  forehead  to  God,  though  your  feet  in  the  dust; 

ho,  Duty  and  hove,  and  a  sweet  babe' s  smiles, 

And  these,  O  friend,  are  the  Fortunate  Isles. 

Joaquin  Miller. 

O  Father  of  Compassion,  we  do  not  ask  Thee  this 
night  for  good  fortune,  but  only  for  faithfulness. 
For  the  sake  of  our  own  souls,  for  the  sake  of  those 
who  love  us,  for  the  sake  of  those  who  trust  in  us, 
hold  us  to  the  steady  course  of  Thy  pleasurable  will! 
Remind  us  by  Thy  Spirit  this  night  that  we  are  not 
lone  mariners  but  our  lives  are  as  vessels  crowded 
with  many  souls  and  we  ourselves  the  captains  of 
their  salvation  or  destruction.  Thou  hast  created  us 
with  influence  upon  others,  with  constant  contacts 
and  relationships.  Oh  grant  us,  Father,  that  we  may 
bring  them  all  in  safety  to  the  Isles  of  Grace.    Amen. 

John  Marvin  Dean. 


54  $thVMV£  21 


Every  day  brings  a  ship, 
Every  ship  brings  a  word; 
Well  for  those  who  have  no  fear; 
Looking  seaward  well  assured 
That  the  word  the  vessel  brings 
Is  the  word  they  wish  to  hear. 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 

Tomorrow  hath   a  rare,   alluring  sound; 
Today  is  very  prose;    and  yet  the  twain 
Are  but  one  vision  seen  through   altered  eyes. 
Our  dreams  inhabit  one;    our  stress  and  pain 
Surge  through  the  other.    Heaven  is  but  today 
Made  lovely  with  tomorrow 's  face,  for  aye. 

Richard  Burton. 

We  thank  Thee,  Our  Father,  that  we  are  come  to 
the  season  for  rest  and  refreshment  with  a  vision  for 
tomorrow.  This  day  has  brought  duties  and  pleasures. 
It  has  held  for  us  successes  and  disappointments. 
The  real  things  of  today  have  not  seemed  to  us  the 
fulfillment  of  the  dreams  of  yesterday.  We  pray 
that  we  may  use  these  experiences  even  though  they 
seem  to  us  commonplace  as  the  foundation  stones 
on  which  we  shall  build  the  bright  anticipation  of  the 
future.  Wilt  Thou  so  guide  our  thought  that  we  shall 
look  forward  to  a  Heavenly  joy  which  is  made  up 
of  a  day's  commonplace  service  lived  in  the  spirit 
of  loving  obedience  to  Thee.  Teach  us  we  pray 
to  grow  within  us  that  spirit  of  love  and  service  which 
throws  the  mantle  of  glory  over  the  homely  duties 
of  life,  making  them  the  joys  of  heaven.    Amen. 

Asa  M.  Bradley. 


iFrtrttarj?  22  55 


{George   Washington.    Born   1 732) 

Let  a  man  fasten  himself  to  some  great  idea,  some 
large  truth,  some  noble  cause,  even  in  the  affairs  of  this 
world,  and  it  will  send  him  forward  with  energy,  with 
steadfastness,  with  confidence.  This  is  what  Emerson 
meant  when  he  said,  "  Hitch  your  wagon  to  a  star." 
These  are  the  potent,  the  commanding,  the  enduring, 
the  inspiring  men,  —  in  our  own  history,  men  like 
Washington  and  Lincoln.  They  may  fall,  they  may 
be  defeated,  they  may  perish;  but  onward  moves  the 
cause,  and  their  souls  go  marching  on  with  it,  for  they 
are  part  of  it,  they  have  believed  in  it. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  we  rejoice 
in  the  great  ideas  that  are  born  in  the  minds  of  men, 
and  the  great  emotions  kindled  in  their  hearts.  We 
thank  Thee  for  the  great  leaders  of  thought,  for  the 
heads  of  great  causes.  If  we  may  not  be  leaders, 
teach  us,  we  pray  Thee,  to  be  followers  and  disciples. 
We  rejoice  in  our  own  country's  heroes  whose  thoughts 
and  deeds  keep  alive  the  flame  of  patriotism.  We 
thank  Thee  for  the  greatest  leader  of  all,  our  Master 
and  theirs.  Let  us  bravely  follow  where  He  leads. 
Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


56  jpeifovuar!>  23 


Fierce  was  the  wild  billow,  dark  was  the  night. 
Oars  labored  heavily,  foam  glimmered  white; 
Mariners  trembled,  peril  was  nigh'; 
Then  said  the  God  of  Gods,  "  Peace,   it  is  If' 

Jesu,  Deliverer/  come  Thou  to  me; 
Soothe  Thou  my  voyaging  over  life's  sea; 
Thou,  when  the  storm  of  death  roars  sweeping    by, 
Whisper,  0  Truth  of  Truth,  ''Peace,  it  is  I!" 

Saint  Anatolius. 


O  Lord  our  God,  Thou  Infinite  One,  within  and 
above  earth's  storm  and  calm,  we  look  to  Thee 
through  the  evening  clouds.  We  praise  Thy  great 
and  holy  name  for  Thy  safe  pilotage  through  the 
years  that  have  passed,  and  that  often  in  the  storm 
Thou  hast  whispered  to  us  the  word  of  peace.  We 
thank  Thee  that  God  is  faithful,  Who  will  not  suffer 
us  to  be  tempted  above  that  we  are  able.  We  rejoice 
in  Thine  assurance  that  Jesus  our  Lord  will  voyage 
with  us,  as  with  His  disciples  of  old,  if  we  will  truly 
let  Him  into  our  hearts;  and  that  in  every  storm 
we  may  have  His  calm.  Our  hearts  sing  Thy  praise 
as  we  realize  that  He  has  overcome  death  for  us, 
earth's  darkest  night  and  fiercest  tempest.  With  an 
abiding  confidence  and  peace  we  pray  that  the  God 
of  peace,  will  make  us  perfect  in  every  good  work, 
working  in  us  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  His  sight. 
Amen. 

Anson  P.  Atterbury. 


iFrtruarj?  24  57 


Life's  a  strange  thing,  and  worlds  are  mixed.     The 
devils   and  the   angels  go   up   and  down   together;    no 
wonder  we  want  the  telling  of  the  sure  foundation. 
Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


Sometimes  the  Angel  in  me's  down, 
Struggling  among  men   in  the  town; 
Sometimes,  aloof,  along  the  peak, 
Alone,  it  hears  the  Lord  God  speak. 

Sometimes,  it  is  so  strong,  I  bear 
His  word  to  me  where  all  men  fare: 
0  best!    if  in  the  battling  street 
Life's  harshest  voice  to  me  rings  sweet! 

Charlotte  Porter. 


Our  Father,  help  us  to  bear  without  rebellion  those 
things  in  our  life  we  cannot  understand.  This  day, 
like  all  our  days,  has  been  full  of  mystery.  We  have 
added  many  to  the  questions  we  shall  ask  Thee  when, 
as  Thou  hast  promised,  "  we  shall  know  as  we  are 
known."  Help  us  to  thank  Thee  even  for  the  mys- 
tery; for  the  pain  as  well  as  the  pleasure,  the  failures 
as  well  as  the  successes,  the  sorrow  as  well  as  the 
joy;  in  confidence  in  Thine  assurance  that  Thou  art 
making  "all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  Thee."  And  we  love  Thee,  our  Blessed 
Redeemer !  Pardon  our  sins.  Thine  eye  that  never 
slumbers  will  be  upon  us  while  we  sleep.  And  when 
the  morrow  comes  for  us,  may  it  be  to  better  service 
and  fuller  enjoyment  of  Thee;  whether  here  or  in 
the  Eternal  Day.     Amen. 

Allan  Douglas  Carlile. 


58  iFetirttars  25 


/  lived  with  Pride;    the  house  was  hung 

With  tapestries  of  rich  design. 
Of  many  houses,  this  among 

Them  all  was  richest,  and  'twas  mine. 
But  in  the  chambers  burned  no  fire, 

Tho'  all  the  furniture  was  gold; 
I  sickened  of  fulfilled  desire, 

The  house  of  Pride  was  very  cold. 

I  lived  with  Love;    all  she  possest 

Was  but  a  tent  beside  a  stream. 
She  warmed  my  cold  hands  in  her  breast. 

She  wove  around  my  sleep  a  dream. 
And  One  there  was  with  face  divine 

Who  softly  came,  when  day  was  spent, 
And  turned  our  water  into  wine, 

And  made  our  life  a  sacrament. 

W.  J.  Dawson. 

We  give  thanks  to  Thee,  our  Father,  for  another 
day  of  Thy  life.  It  is  pleasant  for  us  to  live  and  to 
rejoice  in  Thy  goodness.  Take  from  this  day  all 
which  is  unworthy  of  it.  We  are  trustful  and  glad 
as  we  enter  this  new  night.  Keep  us  while  we  sleep, 
and  when  we  awake,  may  our  thoughts  be  of  Thee. 
Fill  our  hearts  with  Thine  own  spirit,  that  there  may 
be  no  room  for  pride.  Even  while  we  rest  let  Thy 
gentleness  make  us  great  in  humility.  We  rejoice 
in  Thy  constant  love,  and  pray  that  we  may  have 
grace  to  live  in  Him  Who  is  the  Love  of  God.  In  His 
name  we  crown  the  day  with  these  grateful  desires. 
Amen. 

Alexander  McKenzie. 


iFcfcruars?  26  59 


Will  winter  never  be  over? 

Will  the  dark  days   never  go? 
Must  the  buttercup  and  the  clover 

Be  always  hid  under  the  snow? 

Ah,  lend  me  your  little  ear,  love! 

Hark!    'tis  a  beautiful  thing: 
The  weariest  month  of  the  year,  love, 

Is  shortest  and  nearest  the  spring! 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


O,  thou  Eternal  Spirit,  whose  love  fadeth  not  with 
the  waning  light  of  day,  beneath  whose  coverlet  of 
frost  the  still  earth  slumbereth,  our  weary  hearts 
would  thank  Thee  for  the  blessed  house  of  quiet. 
As  the  unawakened  seed  in  the  ground  and  the  close- 
folded  bud  upon  the  tree  await  Thy  kindling  touch 
of  life,  so  through  this  night  would  we  confide  our 
souls  and  bodies  unto  Thee,  Thou  great  Renewer 
of  the  world.  And  when  the  morrow  dawns  in  beauty 
may  we  arise,  grateful  for  Thy  refreshing  power,  eager 
:o  fulfil  the  duties  of  another  day.    Amen. 

Henry  Wilder  Foote. 


6o  jFcfcruarg  27 

Did  you  tackle  that  trouble  that  came  your  way 

With  a  resolute  heart  and  cheerful? 
Or  hide  your  face  from  the  light  of  day 

With  a  craven  soul  and  fearful? 
0,  a  trouble's  a  ton,  or  a  troublers  an  ounce, 

Or  a  trouble  is  what  you  make  it. 
And  it  isn't  the  fact  that  you're  hurt  that  counts, 

But  only,  how  did  you  take  it? 

Ton   are  beaten  to  earth?       Well,  what  of  that? 

Come  up  with   a  smiling  face. 
It's  nothing  against  you  to  fall  down  flat, 

But  to  lie  there  —  that's  disgrace. 
The  harder  you're  thrown,  why  the  higher  you  bounce; 

Be  proud  of  your  blackened  eye! 
It  isn't  the  fact  that  you're  hit  that  counts, 

It's  how  did  you  fight  —  and  why? 

Edmund  Vance  Cooke. 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  for  the  strength  for 
each  day's  needs  and  for  the  knowledge  that  we  are 
not  required  to  bear  life's  burdens  and  meet  its  tempta- 
tions and  suffer  its  pains  and  disappointments  and 
defeats  alone.  Teach  us,  we  pray  Thee,  that  the 
resources  of  Omnipotence  are  available  to  them  who 
are  doing  Thy  work  and  that  if  we  make  Thy  pro- 
gram ours  we  cannot  fail.  We  do  not  ask,  O  God, 
that  Thou  lead  us  always  in  ways  of  pleasantness 
and  paths  of  peace,  but  that  Thou  wilt  give  us  the 
invincibleness  of  perfect  confidence  in  Thee.  Wilt 
Thou  keep  us  in  safety  through  the  night  ?  And 
may  its  hours  of  peaceful  rest  hearten  us  for  the  duties 
of  another  day  and  make  us  able  to  endure  and  do 
all  that  Thou  shalt  ask,  through  Him  who  giveth 
strength.     Amen. 

Carl  F.  Henry. 


iFeiiruarg  28  61 


Stay,  stay  at  borne,  my  heart,  and  rest; 
Home-keeping  hearts  are  happiest, 
For  those  that  wander  they  know  not  where 
Are  full  of  trouble  and  full  of  care; 
To  stay  at  home  is  best. 

Weary  and  homesick   and  distressed, 
They  wander  east,  they  wander  west, 
And  are  baffled  and  beaten   and  blown  about 
By  the  winds  of  the  wilderness  of  doubt; 
To  stay  at  home  is  best. 

Then  stay  at  home,  my  heart,  and  rest; 
The  bird  is  safest  in   its  nest; 
O'er  all  that  flutter  their  wings  and  fly 
A  hawk  is  hovering  in  the  sky; 
To  stay  at  home  is  best. 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 

Grant  us,  O  God,  to  fathom  the  truth  that  "  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  within."  Not  in  strong,  auda- 
cious flights  of  discovery,  not  even  in  tireless  enter- 
prises of  duty,  but  in  the  kindling  of  pure  enthusiasms, 
the  cherishing  of  tranquil  faiths,  the  doing  divinely 
of  homely  tasks,  shall  we  find  the  peace  that  passes 
understanding.  Help  us  not  only  to  think  and  to  do, 
but  to  live.  And  may  we  demonstrate  that  a  man's 
life  consisteth  not  of  the  abundance  of  things  he 
possesses,  but  in  the  richness  of  his  moral  and  intel- 
lectual and  emotional  experiences.  Forbid,  our 
Father,  that  we  should  be  ever  seeking,  never  attain- 
ing this  truth.  And  may  we  resolve  this  night  to 
achieve  the  life  that  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God. 
Amen. 

C.  Ellwood  Nash. 


62  jFrtruarj?  29 


A  hermit  there  was,  and  he  lived  in  a  grot, 

And  the  way  to  be  happy,  folks  said  he  had  got; 

As  I  wanted  to  learn  it,  I  went  to  his  cell, 

And  when  I  came  there,  the  old  hermit  said:   "   Well, 

Young  man,  by  your  looks  you  want  something,  I  see: 

Now  tell  me  the  business  that  brings  you  to  me." 

"  The  way  to  be  happy,  folks  say,  you  h'ave  got; 
And  wishing  to  learn  it,  I've  come  to  your  grot. 
Now,  I  beg  and  entreat,  if  you  have  such  a  plan, 
That  you  write  it  down  as  plain  as  you  can." 
Upon  which  the  old  hermit,  he  went  to  his  pen, 
And  brought  this  note  when   he  came  back  again: 

"    Tis  being  and  doing  and  having  that  make 
All  the  pleasures  and  pains  of  which  mankind  partake; 
To  be  what  God  pleases,  to  do   a   man's  best 
And  to  have  a  good  heart,  is  the  way  to  be  blest." 

Byron. 


O  Thou  Giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift, 
help  us  to  turn  aside  from  our  customary  cares  and 
compose  ourselves  as  in  Thy  presence.  Assured 
that  Thou  dost  provide  for  our  welfare,  may  we 
live  in  harmony  with  Thy  blessed  will.  May  it  be 
our  joy  to  become  what  Thou  wouldst  have  us  be  in 
Thy  wise  purpose.  May  we  so  use  our  talents  and 
opportunities  as  to  attain  to  our  highest  life  as  we 
shall  see  it  in  Thy  light.  And  through  all  life's 
vicissitudes  may  we  have  a  heart  of  good  cheer  for 
each  morrow.     Amen. 

Benjamin  R.  Bulkeley. 


JHaccf)  t  63 


Blow,  March,  with  mighty  winds  away 

The  outworn  things  of  yesterday; 

Sweep  through  the  soul,  as  through  the  earth; 

And  bear  afar  the  signs  of  dearth, 

Dead  leaves,  dead  dreams  and  blighted  hours; 

Clear  hearts  and  fields  for  coming  flowers  ! 

Blow,  March,  with  great  wings,  to  make  room 

For  life  to  bud  and  love  to  bloom  ! 

Take  in  your  flight,  old  wrongs,  regrets  — 

Giv*  place  to  hope's  new  violets  ! 

Edith  Hope  Kinney. 


O  Thou  Spirit  of  the  Living  God,  brood  over  us 
at  this  evening  hour.  As  on  the  primal  waters,  move 
on  our  souls  to-night,  and  recreate  our  lives.  We 
throw  our  chamber  windows  open  to  the  cool  night 
winds,  and  all  our  being,  heart  and  mind,  to  the  God 
of  the  open  air.  Heal  our  bodies  for  their  tasks  and 
breathe  Thy  life  into  our  quickened  spirits.  Let 
winds  from  Heaven  cleanse  the  chambers  of  our 
souls  from  every  damp  and  germ  of  wrong,  and  wake 
us  to  the  morning,  born  anew  to  beauty,  truth,  and 
good.  And  such  a  blessing  grant,  we  pray,  to  those 
we  love,  and  unto  all  souls,  till  Thy  Kingdom  come. 
Amen. 

Edward  Holyoke. 


64  JUarcf)  2 


Out  of  the  night  that  covers  me. 
Black  as  the  pit,  from  pole  to  pole, 

I  thank  whatever  gods  may  be 
For  my  unconquerable  soul! 

In  the  strong  stress  of  circumstance 
I  have  not  winced  nor  cried  aloud: 

Under  the  bludgeonings  of  chance 
My  head  is  bloody,  but  unbowed! 

Beyond  this  vale  of  wrath   and  tears 
Looms  up  the  horror  of  the  shade; 

And  yet,  the  menace  of  the  years 
Finds,  and  shall  find  me,  unafraid! 

It  matters   not  how  strait  the  gate  — 

How  charged  with  punishments  the  scroll; 

I  am  the  master  of  my  fate  — 
/  am  the  captain  of  my  soul  ! 

William  Ernest  Henley. 


I  thank  Thee,  O  God,  for  the  precious  powers  of 
my  being;  for  power  to  will,  power  to  achieve,  power 
to  keep  peace  and  hope  and  courage.  I  will  fear  no 
evil,  in  life  or  death.  But,  Lord,  it  is  because  Thou 
art  with  me.  Stay  Thou  near  in  every  valley  of 
shadow,  every  rough  way.  My  powers  are  from 
Thee;  and  I  am  at  my  best  when  Thou  are  near. 
The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  my  strength.  In  the  world 
I  have  tribulation;  but  I  will  be  of  good  cheer  and 
come  off"  a  conqueror  through  Thy  help,  even  as 
Thy  Son  overcame  the  world  and  hath  sat  down  at 
Thy  right  hand,  my  Savior.     Amen. 

William  A.  Knight. 


As  birds,  when  after  moulting  they  begin  to  sing, 
break  down  in  mid-song  and  give  only  a  snatch  here 
and  a  snatch  there  of  the  full  volume  of  their  summer 
stratus;  so  the  hints,  the  little  tinkling  notes  of  love 
on  earth,  beautiful  as  they  are  in  themselves,  are  not 
perfect  and  are  not  understood  until  we  trace  them 
back  and  feel  that  there  is  above,  somewhere,  One 
whose  nature  embraces  all  these  things. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 

Nothing  will  prove  a  stronger,  better  stimulus  to 
right-doing  than  an  increasing  realization  of  the  knowl- 
edge and  responsibility  of  the  eternal  Fatherhood  for 
every  individual  that  He  has  caused  to  be.  Lift  up 
your  hearts  and  believe  it. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 

Thou  Source  of  all  good,  in  whose  love  the  joys 
of  life  find  their  birth,  we  would  feel  Thee  so  close 
to  our  spirits  that  in  the  twilight  of  this  day  our 
hearts  may  be  full  of  the  gratitude  that  can  trace 
back  through  all  its  experiences,  some  expression 
of  Thyself,  that  in  our  joys  has  blessed  us,  in  our 
temptations  has  strengthened  us,  that  has  conse- 
crated our  disappointments  and  sorrows,  and  that 
now  ushers  to  the  peace  and  rest  of  the  night  season. 
Forbid,  kind  Father,  that  in  the  quiet  of  the  day's 
close,  we  should  fail  to  think  of  Thee  as  the  guardian 
of  our  sleeping,  as  Thou  hast  been  the  guide  of  our 
waking  hours,  so  that  in  the  night  of  rest  and  in  the 
day  of  work,  we  shall  live  in  the  deepening  conscious- 
ness that  we  are  enfolded  in  Thine  Almightiness,  and 
rise  to  meet  whatever  experiences  the  morrow  may 
have  in  store  with  new  courage  and  trust.     Amen. 

John  Vannevar. 


66  J**arcJ)  4 

/  worked  for  men,"  my  Lor  J  will  say 
When  we  meet  at  the  end  of  the  King's  Highway. 

I  walked  with  the  beggar  along  the  road, 
I  kissed  the  bondsman  stung  by  the  goad, 
I  bore  my  half  of  the  porter  s  load'. 

And  what  did  you  ?  "  my  Lord  will  say, 

As  you  travelled  along  the  King's  Highway  ?  " 

I  showed  men  God,"  my  Lord  will  say, 
As  I  travelled  along  the  King's  Highway. 
I  eased  the  sister's  troubled  mind; 
I  helped  the  blighted  to  be  resigned; 
I  showed  the  sky  to  the  souls  grown  blind. 
And  what  did  you  ?  "  my  Lord  will  say 
When  we  meet  at  the  end  of  the  King's  Highway. 

Robert  Davis. 

Heavenly  Father,  as  we  rest  at  the  end  of  another 
stage  in  our  earthly  pilgrimage,  our  minds  are  op- 
pressed with  the  thought  of  the  things  which  we 
ought  to  have  done  but  which  we  have  left  undone. 
We  might  have  put  our  shoulders  under  the  load 
weighing  too  heavily  upon  some  overburdened  fellow 
traveller.  We  know  that  our  own  burden  would 
have  seemed  lighter  for  such  service.  We  might, 
without  expense  or  time  or  trouble,  at  least  have 
contributed  words  of  cheer,  a  smile,  good  fellow- 
ship, neighborly  kindness  to  those  we  met  by  the 
way.  All  this  we  acknowledge  we  have  too  often 
failed  to  do.  We  ask  thy  forgiveness  and  thy  help 
in  our  homely  but  high  resolution  that  henceforth 
we  will  be  more  friendly,  more  neighborly,  more 
kindly,  as  we  travel  along  the  King's  Highway. 
Amen. 

Frank  Oliver  Hall. 


JHarcij  5  67 


We  should  waste  no  moments  in  weak  regref, 

If  the  day  were  but  one; 
If  what  we  remember  and  what  we  forget 

Went  out  with  the  sun; 
We  should  be  from  our  clamorous  selves  set  free, 

To  work  or  to  pray, 
To  be  what  the  Father  would  have  us  be, 

If  we  had  but  a  day. 

M.  L.  Dickinson. 


Hitherto,  O  Lord,  Thou  hast  helped  us  and 
strengthened  us  in  the  journey  of  life.  Day  by  day 
Thou  hast  led  us  and  provided  for  our  necessities, 
even  as  in  the  days  of  old  Thou  didst  guide  Thy 
people  through  the  wilderness,  giving  them  manna 
from  Heaven  to  eat.  And  if  we,  like  them,  have 
been  weak  and  foolish,  often  turning  aside  from 
Thy  perfect  way  in  pursuit  of  our  timid  and  selfish 
devices,  forgive  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  and  assist  us 
by  Thy  holy  spirit  to  turn  our  backs  upon  the  past, 
and  press  on  henceforward  towards  the  future, 
doing  our  duty  without  distrust  or  repining  as  fol- 
lowers of  Him  who  is  the  way  and  the  truth  and  the 
life.      Amen. 

Edwin  C.  Sweetser. 


68  JHarcf)  6 

The  seedling  hidden  in  the  sod 

Were  :ll  content  immured  to  stay; 

Slowly  it  upward  makes  its  way 
And  finds  the  light  at  last,  thank  God ! 

The  most  despised  of  mortal  things  — 

The  worm  devoid  of  hope  or  bliss, 

Discovers  in  the  chrysalis 
Too   narrow  space  for  urgent  wings. 

These  are  my  kindred  of  the  clay: 
But  as  I  struggled  from  the  ground 
Such  weakness  in  my  strength  is  found, 

I  seem  less  fortunate  than  they. 

Yet  though  my  progress  be  but  slow, 

And  failure  oft  obscure  the  past, 

I,  too,  victorious  at  last, 
Shall  reach  the  longed-for  light,  I  know ! 

Florence  Earle  Coates. 

O  Father  of  our  spirits,  Thou  art  light  ineffable 
and  eternal.  Our  ears  have  been  dulled  by  the 
rumblings  of  the  caravans  of  earth;  our  eyes  have 
been  dimmed  by  the  blinding  glare  of  false  lights; 
our  hearts  have  been  oppressed  and  heavy  laden 
with  many  cares  and  manifold  burdens,  the  full 
weight  of  which  we  need  never  have  borne.  Through 
the  advancing  years  comes  the  increasing  conviction 
that  we  were  made  for  Thee,  and  that  in  Thy  light 
only  do  we  see  light.  As  the  shades  of  evening  fall, 
may  the  steady  radiance  of  Thy  peace  flood  our  beings 
with  its  calm  serenity,  and  for  us,  with  each  closing 
day,  as  at  life's  evening,  may  there  be  light!     Amen. 

Clarence  A.  Barbour. 


JHarcij  7  69 

"  And  underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms." 

Deut.  xxxiii:  27. 

When  I  hear  those  words  spoken,  I  see  a  little 
boy  —  a  tired  little  boy  —  sitting  in  a  church  and 
thinking:  "  I'm  so  sleepy;  but  I  must  keep  awake, 
father  will  be  cross."  Then  the  lights  in  the  aisle 
spout  flame,  the  figures  in  the  painted  window  dance, 
his  head  nods,  his  eyes  close.  A  minute  later  they  open 
with  a  start  to  find  his  father's  eyes  fixed  upon  him  — 
that  stern  father  in  whose  strenuous  life  there  was  no 
place  for  a  little  boy.  "  Even  if  I  close  my  eyes  for 
one  minute  father  will  be  angry,"  thought  the  little 
boy.  The  preacher  droned  on.  The  little  boy's  chin 
sank  upon  his  jacket.  When  he  awoke,  his  father's 
eyes,  angrily  the  little  boy  thought,  were  again  fixed 
upon  him.  His  father  moved;  the  boy  trembled. 
Then,  wonder  of  wonders !  he  was  lifted  from  his 
place,  his  father's  arms  were  underneath  him,  around 
him.  Thus,  without  fear  —  indeed  with  exquisite 
joy  and  in  great  confidence  —  the  little  boy  fell  asleep 
in  those  kind  arms.  So,  I  believe,  it  will  be  with  us 
who  are  older  when  our  times  comes. 

Anonymous. 

Thou  gracious  Spirit,  our  Heavenly  Father,  how 
sweet  it  is  to  think  of  ourselves  as  children,  with 
all  the  frailties,  all  the  carelessness  and  all  the  faults 
of  children,  and  yet  to  know  that  Thou  art  patient 
with  us.  If  we  keep  awake  when  we  ought  to  sleep 
or  sleep  when  we  ought  to  keep  awake  Thou  lovest 
us  just  the  same.  May  it  be  ours  to  put  ourselves 
trustingly  into  Thy  hands  to-night  to  sleep  secure, 
and  then  rising  refreshed  to  go  forth  to  the  new 
day's  duties  certain  that  our  Father  cares.     Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


7o  JHavci)  8 


Into  the  darkness  and  the  hush  of  night 
Slowly  the  landscape  sinks  and  jades  away 
And  with   it  jade  the  phantoms  oj  the  day, 
The  ghosts  oj  men  and  things,  that  haunt  the  light. 

The  crowd,  the  clamor,  the  pursuit,  the  flight, 
The  unprofitable  splendor  and  display, 
The  agitations,  and  the  cares  that  prey 
Upon  our  hearts,  all  vanish  out  of  sight. 

The  better  life  begins;    the  world  no  more 
Molests  us;    all  its  records  we  erase 
From  the  dull  commonplace  book  of  our  lives, 

That  like  a  palimpsest  is  written  o'er 

With  trivial  incidents  of  time  and  place, 
And  lo !    the  ideal,  hidden   beneath,  revives. 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 


O  God,  our  Father,  we  bless  Thee  for  another 
day  with  its  temptations,  its  struggles,  its  joys  and 
its  pleasures.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  associations, 
for  our  work  and  the  inspiration  which  it  has  brought 
to  us,  and  now  as  the  twilight  deepens,  and  we  com- 
mune with  Thee,  may  our  hearts  seek  Thy  will, 
Thy  wisdom,  Thy  love.  May  this  communion  with 
Thee  make  us  forgetful  of  self,  honest  in  the  un- 
covering of  all  our  own  wrong  doing  which  has  led 
to  strife,  prejudice,  sorrow  or  hardship  for  others. 
May  we  find  our  chiefest  joys  through  all  the  com- 
ing days  in  bringing  gladness  upon  earth,  and  in. 
spending  our  strength  in  making  earth  a  heaven  for 
all  Thy  children.     Amen. 

George  A.  Bellamy. 


JWarcij  9  71 

/  have  no  fear!   what  is  in  store  for  trie 
Shall  find  me  self-reliant,  undismayed. 

God  grant  my  only  cowardice  may  be: 
Afraid  —  to  be  afraid  ! 

Everard  Jack  Appleton. 


Whether  in  politics  or  religion,  it  is  none  of  your 
business  whether  you  are  in  the  majority  or  in  the 
minority.  It  is  none  of  your  concern  whether  your 
idea  is  too  old  or  too  new;  whether  you  are  ahead  or 
behind  the  times.  If  what  you  teach  is  true,  and  the 
world  is  not  with  you,  then  so  much  the  worse  for  the 
world. 

George  L.  Perin. 


Lord  of  Eternity!  all  our  times  are  in  Thy  hand:, 
with  each  rising  and  setting  sun,  we  move  with  Thy 
moving  world.  Thou  leadest  forth  the  stars  in  their 
mighty  courses,  and  in  the  divine  order  of  nature 
and  humanity  Thou  hast  appointed  our  nobler 
place.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  laws  that  never  change; 
for  the  love  that  never  slumbers;  for  the  high  calling 
of  truth  and  righteousness;  and  for  the  responsibili- 
ties of  rational  freedom.  Oh  if  other  lords  beside 
Thee  have  had  dominion  over  us  —  if  through  care- 
lessness or  cowardice  or  love  of  ease  and  praise,  we 
have  conformed  to  customs  and  opinions  that  are 
not  true  and  right  —  we  humbly  own  our  folly  and 
fault;  and  would  go  to  our  rest  confiding  in  Thy 
pardoning  grace,  and  with  a  sincere  purpose  to  live 
henceforth  as  Thy  loving  and  obedient  children. 
Amen. 

Charles  Gordon  Ames. 


72  jjHarcfj  10 


/  am  quite  clear  that  one  of  our  worst  failures  is  at 
the  point  where,  having  resolved  like  angels,  we  drop 
back  into  the  old  matter-of-fact  life  and  do  just  what 
we  did  before,  because  we  have  always  done  it,  and 
because  everybody  does  it,  and  because  our  fathers  and 
mothers  did  it;  all  which  may  be  the  very  reason  why 
we  should  not  do  it.  .  .  .  There  is  no  station  of  life, 
and  no  place  of  one's  home,  where,  if  he  want  to  en- 
large his  life  by  caring  for  people  outside  himself,  he 
may  not  start  on  a  career  of  enlargement  which  shall 
find  the  answer  to  our  question  to  be  that  the  man  who 
enters  upon  infinite  purposes  lives  the  infinite  life 
He  enlarges  his  life  by  every  experience  of  life. 

Edward  Everett  Hale. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  may  we  so  profit  by  the 
experiences  of  this  day  now  closing  that  we  shall 
know  how  to  live  tomorrow  in  a  better  way;  when 
its  opportunities  shall  open  to  us  may  we  be  able 
to  avoid  the  things  which  bring  regret  tonight. 
Help  us  to  profit  by  our  failures  and  keep  us  from 
stumbling  twice  and  thrice  over  the  same  things.  We 
want  to  find  our  lives  larger  and  better  at  the  close 
of  each  new  day.  May  it  be  our  holy  purpose  that  on 
the  morrow  we  shall  not  be  so  small  again.  Help 
us  to  lead  our  souls  more  and  more  to  those  high 
altars  of  thought  and  service  which  lead  to  Thee. 
Amen. 

John  Wesley  Carter. 


A  second  voice  was  at  mine  ear; 
A  little  whisper,  silvery  clear, 
A  murmur,  "Be  of  better  cheer ." 

As  from  some  blissful  neighborhood, 

A  notice  faintly  understood, 

I  see  the  end  and  know  the  good." 

A  little  hint  to  solace  woe, 

A  hint,  a  whisper  breathing  low, 

I  may  not  speak  of  what  I  know!" 

Like  an  Mohan   harp,  that  wakes 

No  certain   air,  but  overtakes 

Far  thought  with  music  that  it  makes, — 

Such  seemed  the  whisper  at  my  side; 

What  is't  thou   knowest,  sweet  voice  ?  "  I  cried: 

A  hidden  hope,"  the  voice  replied. 

Tennyson. 

Eternal  God,  our  Heavenly  Father:  with  Thee 
began,  with  Thee  shall  end  this  day.  We  have  lived 
it  in  Thy  life  and  we  have  shared  in  the  bounties 
of  Thy  love.  For  all  Thy  mercies,  known  and  un- 
known, we  render  Thee  our  hearts'  devotion  and 
our  praise.  Defend  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  from  all 
perils  and  dangers  of  the  approaching  night.  Abide 
with  us  now  that  the  hours  of  light  are  spent  and 
let  Thy  presence  make  melody  in  our  souls  during 
the  eventide  watches.  Thou  All-True  and  All- 
Compassionate  God,  in  Thee  will  we  put  our  trust, 
until  the  day  again  breaketh,  and  the  shadows  flee 
away.    Amen. 

S.  Parkes  Cadman. 


74  JHavcf)  12 


Often  at  night  my  little  daughter  stirs 

And  cries,  perhaps  at  some  rude  dream  of  ill, 

But  when  she  feels   her  father's  hand  on  hers 
She  sinks  again  to  slumber  sweet  and  still. 

Often   at  night,  I,  too,  from  dreaming  start, 
Shaken   by  fears,  alas,  that  are  not  dreams, 

But  when   Thou  layest  Thy  hand  upon  my  heart, 
0   Christ,  the  Comforter,  how  sweet  it  seems  ! 
Denis  A.  McCarthy. 


Father  in  Heaven,  as  the  shadows  of  the  night 
gather  about  me,  shutting  out  from  my  vision  so 
much  that  has  interested  and  inspired  me,  separating 
me  from  so  many  fellow  laborers  whose  companion- 
ship has  strengthened  my  spirit  and  sweetened  my 
toil,  I  feel  the  need  of  Thy  personal  presence.  May 
I  have  such  full  consciousness  of  Thy  being,  such 
absolute  confidence  in  Thy  goodness,  such  steadfast 
faith  in  Thy  protecting  providence  that  no  fear  shall 
trouble  my  heart  though  the  night  be  dark  about  me 
or  the  elements  rage  without.  Let  no  morbid  figment 
of  my  imagination  distort,  for  an  instant,  in  my 
deepest  consciousness,  the  great  central  fact  that 
God  is  Love,  and  "  Love  worketh  no  ill."    Amen. 

Charles  Conklin. 


JttarcJ)  13  75 


"  Take  your  needle,  my  child,  and  work  at  your  pat- 
tern;   it  will  come  out  a  rose  by-and-by."     Life  is  like 
that  —  one   stitch    at   a   time   taken    patiently    and   the 
pattern  will  come  out  all  right  like  the  embroidery. 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 


The  best  things  are  nearest:  breath  in  your  nostrils, 
light  in  your  eyes,  floweis  at  your  feet,  duties  at  your 
hand,  the  path  of  God  ]ust  before  you.  Then  do  not 
grasp  at  the  stars,  but  do  life's  plain,  common  work 
as  it  comes,  certain  that  daily  duties  and  daily  bread 
are  the  sweetest  things  of  life. 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 


Into  Thy  loving  care,  O  Thou,  whom  we  have 
been  taught  to  call  our  Father,  we  would  commit 
ourselves  this  night.  Thou  art  father  and  mother 
to  our  souls  and  as  the  child,  full  of  trust,  falls  asleep 
in  its  mother's  arms  so  may  we  now  rest  in  Thee 
knowing  that  Thou  wilt  protect  us  from  evil  and 
raise  us  up  in  the  new  day  refreshed  for  the  duties 
of  life.  We  desire  stronger  faith,  we  crave  closer 
fellowship  with  Thee,  we  are  anxious  to  obey  more 
fully  Thy  holy  laws  that  we  may  harmonize  our  lives 
with  Thy  divine  purpose.  Bless  us  to  these  ends 
and  bring  us  into  Thy  Kingdom.    Amen. 

Herbert  W.  Carr. 


76  Jftavc!)  14 


He  sang  of  joy;  whate 'er  he  knew  of  sadness 
He  kept  for  his  own  heart's  peculiar  share: 

So  well  he  sang,  the  world  imagined  gladness 
To  be  sole  tenant  there. 

For  dreams  were  his,  and  in  the  dawn's  fair  shining, 
His  spirit  soared  beyond  the  mounting  lark; 

But  from  his  lips   no  accent  of  repining 
Fell  when  the  days  grew  dark. 

And  though  contending  long  dread  Fate  to  master, 
He  failed  at  last  her  enmity  to  cheat, 

He  turned  with  such  a  smile  to  face  disaster 
That  he  sublimed  defeat. 

Florence  Earle  Coates. 


Our  Father,  take  Thy  child  by  the  hand  and  lead 
me  into  the  garden  of  life  where  I  can  breathe  the 
air  of  the  upper  world  and  listen  to  the  music  of  the 
angels  and  drink  from  the  fountain  of  Heavenly 
Joy.  Keep  me  in  Thy  companionship  and  help 
me  to  catch  Thy  divine  spirit.  Grant  me  courage 
for  the  darkness  and  welcome  for  the  light  until  the 
shadows  forever  flee  away  and  the  new  day  breaks. 
Amen. 

Cortland  Myers. 


Jttarti)  15  77 

It  is  not  the  work,  but  the  worry, 

That  wrinkles  the  smooth,  fair  face; 
That  blends  gray  hair  with  the  dusky 

And  robs  the  form  of  its  grace. 
That  dims  the  lustre  and  sparkle 

Of  eyes  that  were  once  so  bright, 
But  now  are  heavy  and  troubled 

With  a  weary  despondent  light. 

It  is  not  the  work,  but  the  worry, 

That  drives  all  sleep   away, 
As  we  toss  and  turn  and  wonder 

About  the  cares  of  the  day. 
Do  we  think  of  the  hands'  hard  labor, 

Or  the  steps  of  the  tired  feet  ? 
Ah   no  !    but  we  plan   and  ponder 

How  to  make  both  ends  meet. 

Inez  May  Felt. 


Dear  Father,  we  bring  to  Thine  altar  our  eve- 
ning's offering  of  another  day's  service.  They  are  too 
few  and  small  we  know,  but  we  bring  them  in  all 
frankness  and  simplicity.  We  pray  that  Thou  wilt 
not  judge  our  worthiness  by  the  strength  of  our 
hands;  but  that  Thou  wilt  draw  us  so  close  to  Thee 
that  we  can  interpret  to  Thee  our  mind's  struggles 
and  heart's  desires.  We  have  gladly  given  out  our 
strength,  but  are  weary  and  annoyed  at  the  meagre 
results,  and  are  anxious  for  the  things  unrealized. 
Give  us,  Father,  that  assurance  and  peace  that  will 
fit  us  for  rest  and  then  grant  us  the  gift  of  sleep. 
Bring  us  to  the  privileges  of  the  new  day  refreshed 
in  body  and  mind  and  renewed  in  faith.    Amen. 

A.  B.  Church. 


7»  J**arc!j  16 


The  robin  chants  when  the  thrush  is  dumb, 
Snow  smoothes  a  bed  for  the  clover, 

Life  flames   anew,  and  days  to  come 
Are  sweet  as  the  days  that  are  over. 

The  tide  that  ebbs  by  the  moon  flows  back, 
Faith  builds  on  the  rums  of  sorrow, 

The  halcyon  flutters  in  winter's  track, 
And  night  makes  way  for  the  morrow. 

And  ever  a  strain,  of  joys  the  sum, 
Sings  on   in   the  heart  of  the  lover  — 

In  death  sings  on  —  that  days  to  come 
Are  sweet  as  the  days  that  are  over ! 

Florence  Earle  Coates. 


Dear  Father,  we  believe  Thou  art  speaking  to  us 
every  day;  not  a  year  in  which  Thou  hast  not  spoken. 
Thou  art  speaking  now;  Thou  wilt  be  speaking  to 
us  in  the  morning.  Only  let  us  be  ready  to  hear 
and  to  follow.  We  bless  Thee  for  this  hope  of  im- 
mortality; we  cherish  it;  we  believe  it;  we  will 
walk  in  the  light  of  it  until  the  shadows  flee  away 
and  that  light  dawns  that  is  never  to  set  in  darkness 
again.     Amen. 

Minot  J.  Savage. 


JSlarci)  17  79 


If  it  is  not  right,  Jo  not  Jo  it.     If  it  is  not  true,  Jo 
not  say  it. 

Marcus  Aurelius. 


It  is  only  fools  who  make  a  mock  at  sin.  The 
sensitive,  the  highly  strung,  the  easily  tempteJ,  the 
men  of  goo  J  intentions,  weak  will,  an  J  strong  passions 
—  they  know  its  agony,  its  thralJom,  its  reality. 
Praise  the  Lor  J !  He  is  never  so  far  off  as  even  to 
be  near.  He  is  within  in  the  ship  of  life;  our  spirit  is 
that  which  He  holJs  most  Jear. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


Dear  Father  in  Heaven,  I  have  walked  this  day 
amid  the  fires  of  temptation  which  have  beset  me 
without  and  within.  I  have  known  the  impelling 
force  of  passion  imperfectly  controlled.  I  have  felt 
the  lure  of  the  world's  attraction.  But,  thanks  be  to 
Thee,  I  have  also  felt  the  power  of  Thy  love  and  the 
influence  of  Thy  holy  spirit.  I  dare  not  say  I  have 
this  day  succeeded.  If  I  have  not  utterly  failed  it 
is  because  I  have  not  forgotten  Thee.  Help  me  to 
love  Thee  better  and  to  remember  Thee  more  con- 
stantly. May  the  love  and  the  truth  that  are  in 
Thee  so  fill  my  life  that  all  my  thoughts,  words,  and 
deeds  shall  be  kind,  true,  helpful  and  obedient. 
Help  me  by  Thy  grace  so  to  live  and  so  to  pray  that 
each  day,  even  in  its  errors  and  failures,  may  be  the 
parent  of  a  better  tomorrow.     Amen. 

Frederick  W.  Hamilton. 


8o  iWarcfj  18 

Not  what  we  have,  but  what  we  use; 
Not  what  we  see,  but  what  we  choose  — 
These  are  the   things  that  mar  or  bless 
The  sum  of  human   happiness. 

The  things  near  by,  not  things  afar; 
Not  what  we  seem,  but  what  we  are  — 
These  are  things  that  make  or  break, 
That  give  the  heart  its  joy  or  ache. 

Not  what  seems  fair,  but  what  is  true; 
Not  what  we  dream,  but  good  we  do  — 
These  are  the  things  that  shine  like  gems, 
Like  stars,  in  Fortune's  diadems. 

Not  as  we  take,  but  as  we  give; 
Not  as  we  pray,  but  as  we  live  — 
These  are  the  things  that  make  for  peace , 
Both  now  and  after  Time  shall  cease. 

Clarence  Urmy. 

We  give  Thee  thanks,  O  God,  for  the  privilege 
of  life  through  another  day,  and  for  the  help  which 
Thou  hast  given  us  to  live  our  lives  aright.  We  bless 
Thee  for  the  power  to  choose  between  things  of 
differing  values,  the  high  and  low,  the  near  and  far, 
the  seen  and  unseen.  We  rejoice  in  the  insight  of 
faith  whereby  we  lay  hold  upon  Thee,  realize  Thy 
presence  and  dare  to  do  the  things  we  ought.  For- 
give us  for  our  failure  thus  to  make  use  of  Thine 
assistance,  and  give  us  grace  in  days  to  come  so 
steadfastly  to  walk  in  the  pathway  of  Thy  com- 
mandments that  all  our  life  may  be  pleasing  in  Thy 
sight,  and  that  we  may  increasingly  realize  Thy 
purpose  concerning  us.     Amen. 

Samuel  Clarke  Bushnell. 


Jflarcfi  19  81 


/  sought  for  Truth.      I  long  had  thought 
She  dwelt  on  high,  from  the  world  apart; 

I  found  her,  nearer  than   I   had  sought, 
In  the  love  and  trust  of  a  human  heart. 

I  listened  for  Truth.       Her  voice,  I  deemed, 
Was  the  voice  of  wisdom,  deep  and  strong; 

I  heard  her,  sweeter  than   I  had  dreamed, 
In  the  simple  notes  of  a  little  song! 

Eugene  C.  Dolson. 


O  God  of  Truth,  who  seekest  truth  in  the  hearts 
of  those  who  worship  Thee,  we  bless  Thy  Name 
that  Thou  hast  given  unto  us  the  Spirit  of  Truth, 
and  that  He  now  dwells  within  us.  As  the  shadows 
of  the  evening  gather  about  us,  we  would  lift  our 
hearts  to  Thee  and  pray  that  we  may  know  Him 
aright,  and  ever  walk  before  Thee  in  the  conscious- 
ness that  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  who  is  the  Truth, 
abides  in  our  hearts.  Heavenly  Father,  may  the 
Spirit  of  Thy  Son,  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  be  our  life, 
and  may  His  word,  through  Thy  grace,  be  made 
true  in  us.  And  now,  O  our  Father,  seal  us  in  Thy 
Truth,  that  our  lives  may  abound  with  the  gracious 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  —  yea  that  it  may  become  a 
constant  hymn  of  praise  to  Thee,  the  Giver  of  every 
good  and  perfect  gift.     Amen. 

George  M.  Howe. 


82  Jflarcf)  20 

In  the  early  spring  when  the  first  venturous  blossom 
pushes  its  way  out,  tempted  by  a  rare  warmth,  there 
often  comes  a  sudden  chilling  of  the  air.  The  snow 
falls.  How  alone,  bereft,  and  deserted  this  little  mes- 
senger of  life  must  seem  !  But  if  there  should  insinuate 
itself  into  its  little  heart  a  belief  that  it  is  the  child  of 
light,  the  child  of  the  sun,  and  that  this  great  shining 
power  has  thought  of  this  little  blossom,  would  it  not 
be  comforted  ?  What  a  snug  feeling  would  come  to  it 
when  it  knew  that  it  was  no  longer  a  child  of  the  win- 
ter and  of  the  cold,  but  of  the  heat  and  the  light  !  And 
so,  a  man  can  come  through  many  hard  things  in 
life,  if  there  dwell  within  him  the  belief  that  he  is 
the  child  of  the  King,  that  he  is  the  son  and  heir  of 
Him  who  holds  all  things  in  His  hands.  How 
courageous  are  his  battles  with  himself,  how  hope- 
fully he  bears  the  burdens  of  his  sorrows,  knowing 
that  he  is  the  child  of  light ! 

Charles  Luther  Kloss. 


Thou  Eternal  One,  we  rejoice  in  Thy  boundless 
power.  Thou  art  the  central  source  of  all  life  and 
all  light.  We  rejoice  that  Thou  hast  made  us  as 
Thy  sons  and  daughters.  Strengthen  in  us  the  glad 
confidence  that  because  Thou  livest  and  lovest,  we 
shall  live  also.  In  all  doubt,  pain  or  anxiety  we  would 
take  refuge  in  the  covert  of  Thy  wings.  Full  often 
our  days  are  overclouded  and  darkness  gathers 
thick  about  us.  Help  us  to  know  that  Thou  dost 
daily  bear  our  burden.  May  all  our  way  be  bright 
with  the  clear  shining  of  Thy  love.  And  bring  to 
our  hearts  Thy  blessed  Kingdom  of  peace.    Amen. 

Frank  B.  McAllister. 


JHarct)  21  83 


God  cares  ! 
How  sweet  the  strain  ! 
My  aching  heart  and  weary  brain 
Are  rested  by  the  sweet  refrain, — ■ 

He  cares,  our  Father  cares  ! 

God  cares  ! 
Oh,  sing  the  song 
In  lonely  spot,  amid  the  throng: 
'Twill  make  the  way  less  hard  and  longy  — 

He  cares,  our  Father  cares  ! 

God  cares  ! 
The  words  so  sweet 
My  lips  and  life  shall  e'er  repeat, 
My  burdens  all  left  at  His  feet,  — 

God  cares,  He  always  cares  ! 

Helen  A.  Casterline. 


Infinite  and  Eternal  God,  Thou  who  dost  never 
slumber  nor  sleep,  Who  through  the  long  watches 
of  the  night  are  earing  for  all  the  works  of  Thy 
hand,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  gift  of  this  day  now 
drawing  to  its  close,  and  for  the  peace  and  joy  and 
strength  which  have  come  to  us  through  its  hours. 
Grant,  we  pray  Thee,  that  sweet  sleep  may  be  our 
share  this  night,  that  we  may  rise  to  greet  the  morn- 
ing light  refreshed  and  renewed  in  body,  mind  and 
soul.  In  the  simple  trust  of  a  little  child  sinking  to 
rest  upon  its  mother's  breast,  we  give  ourselves  into 
Thy  keeping,  now  and  forevermore.     Amen. 

H.  D.  Maxwell. 


84  JUatrcf)  22 


Out  of  my  grief  I  made  a  joy, 

Out  of  my  tears  a  song; 
Since  sorrow  is  so   bard  to  bear 

And  life  is  overlong. 

And  peace  I  call  the  joy  I  made  — ■ 

Forgiveness  is  the  song. 
One  could  not  have  it  otherwise 

Since  life  is  overlong. 

Theodosia  Garrison. 


O  Lord,  Thou  sendest  the  evening  time  once 
more.  Thou  dost  give  us  these  quiet  hours  that  we 
may  consider  the  gains  and  losses  of  the  day,  and  the 
still  quieter  hours  in  which  we  may  rest  in  order  that 
we  may  work  again.  This  day  has  brought  us  griefs 
and  tears.  If  these  have  come  from  our  own  faults, 
forgive  us  freely.  If  they  have  come  because  con- 
ditions have  been  adverse,  or  because  others  have 
done  us  wrong,  teach  us  that  there  may  be  a  joy  so 
deeply  lodged  in  our  hearts  that  no  man's  hand  can 
take  it  from  us.  If  we  cannot  have  pleasure,  give 
us  peace.  Grant  our  spirits  tonight  a  rest  like  that 
which  gentle  sleep  brings  to  our  bodies  so  that  we 
may  face  the  coming  day  with  souls  refreshed  and 
strength  renewed  and  with  the  faith  that  life  is  very 
good.     Amen. 

Edwin  H  .Hughes. 


J**arci)  23  85 


Be  not  afraid  to  pray  —  to  pray  is  right. 
Pray,  if  thou  canst,  with  hope;    but  ever  pray, 
Though  hope  be  weak,  or  sick  with  long  delay; 
Pray  in  the  darkness,  if  there  be  no  light. 
Far  is  the  time,  remote  from   human  sight, 
When  war  and  discord  on  the  earth  shall  cease; 
Yet  every  prayer  for  universal  peace 
Avails  the  blessed  time  to  expedite. 
Whatever  is  good  to  wish,  ask  that  of  heaven, 
Though   it  be  what  thou  canst  not  hope  to  see; 
Pray  to  be  perfect,  though  material  leaven 
Forbid  the  spirit  so  on  earth  to  be; 
But  if  for  any  wish  thou  darest  not  pray, 
Then  pray  to  God  to  cast  that  wish  away. 

Hartley  Coleridge. 


O  God,  we  thank  Thee  for  another  day  and  now 
when  weary  with  the  work  and  care  of  this  busy  and 
happy  day,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  privilege  of  prayer. 
We  are  too  weary  to  tell  how  much  we  need,  but  we 
know  that  we  need  Thee  more  than  anything  else. 
We  ask  that  we  may  learn  the  simplicity  of  prayer 
and  the  reality  of  our  Father.  We  pray  that  God 
may  give  us  the  things  that  would  do  us  good  and 
withhold  from  us  the  things  that  would  do  us  harm. 
We  pray  to  be  like  our  Master  so  that  as  men  see 
us  they  may  see  Him  in  us.  Thus  may  our  prayer 
life  be  as  natural,  beautiful  and  helpful  as  God  has 
planned  it.     Amen. 

George  S.  Butteks. 


86  JHarcf)  24 

When  storms  arise 
And  dark'ning  skies 

About  me  threat'ning  lower, 
To  Thee,  O  Lord,  I  raise  mine  eyes, 
To   Thee  my  tortured  spirit  flies 

For  solace  in  that  hour. 

Thy  mighty  arm 
Will  let  no  harm 

Come  near  me  nor  befall  me; 
Thy  voice  shall  quiet  my  alarm, 
When  life's  great  battle  waxeth  warm  — 

No  foeman  shall  appall  me. 

Upon  thy  breast 
Secure  I  rest, 

From  sorrow  and  vexation; 
No  more  by  sinful  cares  oppressed, 
But  in   Thy  presence  ever  blest, 

O   God  of  my  salvation. 

Paul  Laurence  Dunbar. 

Creator  of  the  world  and  Father  of  the  souls 
whom  Thou  hast  made  to  dwell  therein,  Thou 
who  dost  keep  the  heavens  serenely  blue  while  storms 
rage  in  the  lower  air,  grant  us  Thy  peace  in  our  little 
lives.  As  we  lay  ourselves  down  to  sleep  and  confide 
ourselves  to  Thy  protecting  and  preserving  care, 
grant  us  to  feel  through  the  darkness  and  stillness  of 
the  night  the  brooding  presence  of  Thy  love.  So 
shall  our  sleep  be  sweet  and  when  we  wake,  we 
shall  find  ourselves  still  with  Thee.  The  day  shall 
bring  fresh  life  to  soul  as  well  as  to  body,  and  we 
shall  feel  no  ill  because  Thou  art  with  us.    Amen. 

William  H.  Lyon. 


JHarcf)  25  87 


Like  a  cradle  rocking,  rocking, 

Silent,  peaceful,  to  and  fro, 
Like  a  mother  s  sweet  looks  dropping 

On  the  little  face  below,  — 
Hangs  the  green  earth,  swinging,  turning, 

Jarless,   noiseless,  safe,  and  slow: 
Falls  the  light  of  God's  face  bending 

Down  and  watching  us  beloiu. 

And  as  feeble  babes  that  suffer, 

Toss  and  cry,  and  will  not  rest 
Are  the  ones  the  tender  mother 

Holds  the  closest,  loves  the  best,  — 
So  when  we  are  weak  and  wretched, 

By  our  sins  weighed  down,  distressed, 
Then   it  is  that  God's  great  patience 

Holds  us  closest,  loves  us  best. 

Saxe  Holm. 


The  night  is  deepening,  gracious  Lord;  be  with 
us  through  the  darkness  while  we  sleep.  This  is  our 
trust  —  that  Thou,  the  sleepless  Friend  and  Father 
of  us  all,  dost  watch  above  us  though  the  night  be 
long.  If  rest  come  not,  if  shame  and  sorrow  for  the 
sins  or  failures  of  the  day  keep  slumber  from  us,  or, 
if  pain  of  any  sort  distress,  give  us  of  Thy  peace. 
Teach  us  the  meaning  of  the  words,  "  As  one  whom 
his  mother  comforteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you."  For 
rest,  for  pardon,  for  the  consciousness  of  Thine 
enfolding  care  —  for  this  we  pray,  in  the  name  of 
Him  through  whom  we  know  Thee  best.    Amen. 

Francis  H.  Rowley. 


88  Jftarci)  26 


/  heard  a  raven  croak,  but  I  persuaded  myself  it 
was  the  song  of  the  nightingale.  I  smelled  the  smell 
of  the  mould,  but  thought  of  the  violets  it  nourished. 

Thomas  Hood. 


There  are  in  this  loud  stunning  tide 
Of  human   care  and  crime, 
With  whom  the  melodies  abide 
Of  the  everlasting  chime, 
Who  carry  music  in  their  heart 
Through  dusky  lane  and  wrangling  mart, 
Plying  their  daily  task  with  busier  feet, 
Because  their  secret  souls  a  holy  strain  repeat. 

Keble. 


O  Lord,  our  God,  so  little  loved,  so  little  served, 
save  us  from  living  loveless  and  faithless  lives.  Bring 
us  back,  O  Thou  Shepherd  of  souls,  from  foolish 
and  selfish  ways,  and  let  us  wander  no  more.  So 
reconcile  us  to  Thy  holy  and  blessed  will  that  Thy 
law  may  be  our  delight,  Thy  statutes  our  songs,  and 
duty  and  service  and  sacrifice  be  one  with  joy.  Give 
us  wisdom  and  strength  to  meet  and  bear  and  use 
aright  all  the  circumstances  of  our  days  that  we  may 
be  trained  by  life  to  make  melody  in  our  hearts  unto 
the  Lord.  O  Thou  in  whom  there  is  eternal  peace 
and  harmony,  win  us  and  all  men  to  the  obedience 
of  Jesus  Christ  who  did  Thy  perfect  will  perfectly. 
Amen. 

John  Hunter. 


JHarcf)  27  89 

Only  add 
Deeds  to  thy  knowledge  answerable;    add  faith, 
Add  virtue,  patience,  temperance;    add  love, 
By  name  to  some  called  charity,  the  soul 
Of  all  the  rest:   then  wilt  thou  .  .  .  possess 
A  Paradise  within  thee. 

Milton. 

All  is  well,  I  know,  without; 
I  alone  the  beauty  mar, 
I  alone  the  music  jar 
Yet,  with  hands  by  evil  stained, 
And  an  ear  by  discord  pained 
I  am  groping  for  the  keys 
Of  the  heavenly  harmonies; 
Still  within  my  heart  I  bear 
Love  for  all  things  good  and  fair. 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 

Ever-living  and  ever-loving  Father,  the  day  is  far 
spent;  the  gathering  shadows  bid  us  seek  our  nightly 
rest;  here  we  pause  in  conscious  gratitude  for  the 
blessings  of  the  day.  The  busy  world  has  brushed 
us  closely  but  we  trust  that  we  have  been  enabled 
to  impart  to  it  some  sweeter  influence,  and  out  of 
our  contact  with  one  another,  we  hope  that  we  have 
built  up  our  spiritual  equipment,  adding  fresh  knowl- 
edge, a  clearer  faith,  some  definite  virtue,  a  large 
patience,  a  wise  temperance,  and  above  all  a  love 
which  asks  no  more  for  self  than  for  all  others.  May 
this  power  within  put  us  in  tune  with  Thy  great 
moral  universe  and  so  result  in  peace.  Through 
obedience,  service,  love,  may  we  find  the  keys  of  the 
heavenly  harmonies.      Amen. 

L.  W.  Coons. 


9o  J**arct)  28 

Good  things  had  befallen  me  all  through  the  day: 
A  blessing  of  morsels,  —  small  helps  by  the  way; 
Work  running  on  even,  and  coming  out  right; 
Bright  thoughts  with  the  morning,  good  words  at  the 
night; 

So  evening  was  sweet,  and  as  shadows  fell  deep, 
My  spirit  was  turned  to  the  Lord  of  the  sheep. 
"  Thou  leadest !    Thou  feedest !  "   in  silence  I  said: 
"  And  the  crumbs  from  thy  hand  are  the  best  of  the 
bread. 


"  O  dear  daily  bread,  and  the  thought  for  no  more  ! 
The  not  knowing  whence,    that  is  infinite  store! 
The  grand  peradventure  it  is  to  be  poor, 
Through  sureness  of  watting  on  Him  who  is  sure  f  " 
Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 

O  Thou  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  led  through 
the  day  by  Thee  I  have  wanted  nothing.  Thou  hast 
found  for  me  the  still  waters;  cool  and  quiet  they 
have  refreshed  me.  When  thought  has  grown  weary 
and  faith  has  hesitated,  Thou  hast  restored  my 
soul.  This  little  day  of  mine  has  brought  to  me 
stern  tests  and  hungry  needs;  into  it  Thou  hast 
poured  the  bounty  of  Thy  limitless  years.  O  how 
strong  art  Thou  !  How  tender  !  The  evening  rests 
down  upon  me  softly,  because  Thy  strength  is  within 
its  shadows.  Thou  art  more  than  my  Shepherd; 
Thou  art  my  Father!  Thou  wilt  not  fail  me,  when 
again  comes  the  day;  when  in  another  morning's 
light  I  look  up  into  Thy  face  and  say,  "  Give  me 
this  day  my  daily  bread."     Amen. 

Frank  Mason  North. 


Good-night ! 
Be  thy  cares  forgotten  quite! 

Day  approaches  to  its  close; 
Weary  nature  seeks  repose. 
Till  the  morning  dawns  in  light, 
Good-night ! 

Go  to  rest ! 
Close  thine  eyes  in  slumber  blest! 
Now  'tis  still  and  quiet  all; 
Hear  we  but  the  watchman's  call. 
And  the  night  is  still  and  blest. 
Go  to  rest ! 

Good-night! 
Slumber  till  the  morning  light! 
Slumber  till  the  dawn  of  day 
Brings  its  sorrow  with   its  ray. 
Sleep  without  or  fear  or  fright ! 
Our  Father  wakes!   good-night !   good-night ! 
From  the  German. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  day 
and  the  night;  for  the  blessed  assurance  that  Thy 
unfailing  help  is  ever  present  in  all  our  service  by 
day,  and  that  Thy  tender  care  is  our  rest  by  night. 
Now  the  day  is  over  and  we  come  like  tired  children 
from  our  hurts,  our  pains,  our  sorrows,  our  failures 
to  realize  in  the  day  all  the  promise  of  the  morning. 
We  pray,  our  Father,  that  the  night  like  a  tender 
and  loving  mother,  may  fold  us  gently  in  the  soft 
arms  of  sleep.  Grant  that  in  the  great  silence  of  the 
night,  deep  into  our  hearts  there  may  come,  the 
power,  the  joy,  the  peace  of  Thy  Spirit.     Amen. 

George  G.  Hamilton. 


92  Jilarclj  30 


Lord,  make  my  heart  a  place  where  angels  sing ! 

For  surely  thoughts  low-breathed  by  Thee 
Are  angels  gliding  near  on   noiseless  wing; 

And  where  a  home  they  see 
Swept  clean  and  garnished  with  adoring  joy, 

They  enter  in  and  dwell, 

And  teach  that  heart  to  swell 
With  heavenly  melody,  their  own  untired  employ. 

John  Keble. 


Dear  Father  in  Heaven,  the  sun  has  gone,  the 
night  has  fallen,  but  Thy  love  has  not  departed, 
and  Thy  Spirit  lingers  to  bless  and  comfort  us.  In 
perfect  confidence  we  give  ourselves  to  sleep  and 
dreams.  May  our  sleep  be  the  sleep  of  rest  and 
peace.  May  our  dreams  be  sweet,  in  which  there 
are  no  jarring  notes  of  discord  or  despair.  Unseen, 
but  not  unfelt  may  heavenly  powers  minister  unto 
us.  Help  us  to  live  so  well  each  day,  that  all  of 
Heaven  that  bends  over  us  in  the  night-watches, 
may  not  be  strange  to  us.  Help  us  that  day  by  day, 
we  may  have  the  companionship  of  clean  thoughts 
and  pure  desires.  So  shall  our  hearts  be  fit  abiding 
places  for  all  those  holy  ministries  of  Thy  Spirit 
and  Thy  truth,  that  we  pray  may  attend  us  and  make 
us  awake  with  joy,  to  the  toil  of  another  day.    Amen. 

Ransom  A.  Greene. 


J**arc!)  31  93 


What  if  the  battle  end  and  thou  hast  lost  ? 

Others  have  lost  the  battle  thou  hast  won; 
Haste  thee,  bind  thy  wounds,  nor  count  the  cost; 
Over  the  field  will  rise  tomorrow' s  sun. 
'Tis  all  in  a  lifetime. 

Edmund  Clarence  Stedman. 


Through  every  web  of  life  the  dark  threads  run. 

Oh,  why  and  whither  ?      God  knows  all; 

I  only  know  that  he  is  good, 

And  that  whatever  may  befall 

Or  here  or  there,  must  be  the  best  that  could. 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  turn  to  Thee  to  find  rest 
in  the  calm  of  Thy  Spirit.  Help  us  to  enter  into  its 
peace  after  the  weariness  of  this  day's  struggle. 
Whatever  we  may  have  been  able  to  do  by  Thy 
grace  do  Thou  use  for  Thy  service  and  the  advance- 
ment of  Thy  Kingdom  among  Thy  children  in  the 
earth.  In  whatever  we  may  have  failed  do  Thou 
in  Thy  great  kindness  turn  to  some  good  account 
that  it  be  not  altogether  lost;  enable  us  to  see  clearly 
the  cause  of  our  failure,  giving  us  greater  wisdom 
and  strength  that  we  too  may  be  able  to  turn  it  to 
some  good  account;  and  refresh  us  anew  by  this 
night's  sleep  for  whatever  tasks  Thou  mayst  see  fit 
to  assign  us  with  the  coming  of  another  day.    Amen. 

George  M.  Harmon. 


94  ®PVil  I 


My  name  is  April,  sir;    and  I 

Often  laugh,  as  often   cry; 

And  I  cannot  tell  what  makes  me; 

Only  as  the  fit  o'ertakes  me 

I  must  dimple,  smile,  and  frown, 

Laughing  though  the  tears  roll  down. 

But  'tis  nature,  sir,  not  art; 

And  I'm  happy  at  my  heart." 

Z.    B.    GUSTAFSON. 


Teach  us,  O  God,  to  understand  ourselves  and 
to  be  patient  with  ourselves.  Like  the  moods  of 
April,  like  the  flushing  and  waning  tides,  our  spirits 
change.  Now  this  enthusiasm  or  that,  now  this 
apathy  or  chill,  seizes  us,  and  makes  us  cry  out  for 
a  steadier  and  nobler  mind.  But  forbid  that  we 
should  therefore  lose  courage  or  self-respect,  so  long 
as  we  can  find  it  in  our  hearts  to  love  Thee  and  to 
pray  to  Thee.  May  we  realize  and  prove  that  the 
relation  of  the  soul  to  God  is  so  natural  that  it  may 
sometime  sink  out  of  consciousness,  and  that  health 
of  the  soul  is  shown  by  its  very  response  and  adapta- 
tion to  the  varieties  of  experience.  Therefore  we 
pray  this  night,  not  for  one  uninterrupted  mood  of 
piety,  but  that  the  thought  of  Thy  nearness  and 
Fatherhood  may  underlie  and  tincture  every  other 
thought,  in  increasing  the  joy  of  joy,  as  well  as  easing 
the  burden  of  sorrow.    Amen. 

C.  Ellwood  Nash. 


&pril  2 95 

'Tis  spring  again  and  the  woods  are  wet 

With  the  gracious  gift  of  the  April  rain, 
The  sign  of  approaching  summer  is  set 

In  the  tender  green  of  the  plain, 
The  robin  rests  in   his  fight  and  shakes 

A  clinging  drop  from   his  shining  wing, 
And  over  the  woodland  silence  breaks 

The  first  sweet  song  of  the  spring! 

'Tis  spring  again  and  the  grasses  hark 

To  the  magic  message  the  winds  convey, 
The  flowers  push  through  the  damp  and  the  dark 

To  star  the  meadows  of  May; 
The  rivers  long  in  the  winter  s  trance 

Now  over  the  rocks  their  waters  flmg, 
Or  softly  steal  where  the  sunbeams  glance 

Through  the  blossoms  and  buds  of  spring. 

Denis  A.  McCarthy. 

Our  Father:  that  is  the  word  we  need  —  our 
Father  —  for  it  is  the  word  that  the  evening  calls 
for.  We  know  that  we  cannot  walk  in  the  day  any 
better  than  in  the  night  without  Thee,  we  seem  to  be 
able  to  depend  on  ourselves  in  the  light  but  in  the  night 
we  must  cast  our  all  on  Thee.  The  winter  through 
which  we  have  just  passed  has  given  us  a  new  confi- 
dence in  Thee  for  out  of  it  spring  has  come.  And  we 
have  learned,  not  that  we  should  endure  the  winter  in 
hopes  of  spring  but  that  the  boisterous  winter  was 
just  as  perfectly  Thy  love  message  as  is  the  sweet 
spring.  O  God,  there  are  many  nights  and  many 
winters,  give  us  the  faith  spirit  that  makes  them  into 
morning  and  into  spring.     Amen.    • 

Albert  C.   Grier. 


96  &jml  3 


If  any  little  word  of  mine 

May  make  a  life  the  brighter, 
If  any  little  song  of  mine. 

May  make  a  heart  the  lighter, 
God  help  me  speak  the  little  word 

And  take  my  bit  of  singing, 
And  drop  it  in  some  lonely  vale, 

To  set  the  echoes  ringing. 

Anonymous. 

If  you  bring  a  smile  to  the  trembling  lips  of  another, 
you  will  soon  discover  that  a  smile  is  alighting  on  your 
own  lips,  like  a  butterfly  on  a  flower. 

George  H.  Hepworth. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  come  to  the  close  of  an- 
other day,  weary  and  worn,  but  thankful  and  happy. 
We  believe  that  all  our  days  are  given  to  us  out  of  Thy 
great  love,  and  that  in  some  wise  way  Thou  dost 
make  them  minister  to  our  real  needs.  Therefore 
we  can  thank  Thee,  O  Lord  God,  for  the  sunshine  and 
the  shadow  of  each  day,  for  the  bitterness  and  the 
sweetness  of  our  lives.  We  rejoice  in  the  joy  of  other 
hearts  and  in  the  privilege  of  sharing  our  own  courage, 
strength  and  gladness  with  our  fellowmen.  Touch 
our  lips  with  holy  fire,  that  they  may  utter  only  words 
of  truth  and  love;  fill  our  souls  with  light  and  music, 
that  the  only  songs  we  shall  sing  may  breathe  a  mes- 
sage of  peace  and  hope  to  all  who  hear.  Thus  shall 
we  be  in  living  communion  with  Thee  and  through  us 
in  some  slight  measure  the  blessings  of  spiritual  har- 
mony may  flow.     Amen. 

Willard  Chamberlain   Selleck. 


^jirfl  4  97 


Has  Fate  overwhelmed  thee  with  some  sudden  blow  ? 

Let  thy  tears  flow; 
But  know  when  storms  are  past,  the  heavens  appear 

More  pure,  more  clear; 
And  hope,  when  farthest  from   their  shining  rays, 

For  brighter  days. 

Hast  thou  found  life  a  cheat,  and  worn  in  vain 

Its  iron  chain  ? 
Hast  thy  soul  bent  beneath   earth's   heavy  bond? 

Look  thou  beyond; 
If  life  is  bitter,  —  there  forever  shine 

Hopes  more  divine. 

Adelaide  A.  Procter. 


Our  Father  which  art  in  Heaven,  we  turn  to  Thee 
as  the  shades  of  evening  gather  close  about  us,  ear- 
nestly desiring  to  feel  Thy  presence  near.  We  would 
experience  the  confidence  and  peace  of  the  Psalmist, 
when  he  wrote,  "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd,  I  shall 
not  want."  We  know  not  what  awaits  us  on  the 
morrow,  but  we  know  we  shall  have  need  of  poise, 
of  serenity,  of  faith  and  of  strength.  Therefore, 
O  most  loving  Father,  may  we  forget  all  that  has  been 
perplexing  and  distressing  during  the  day,  and  like 
tired  children,  nestle  in  thy  loving  embrace,  to  sleep 
the  sleep  that  shall  mean  a  renewal  of  body  and  soul 
on  the  morrow.     Amen. 

Nellie  Mann  Opdale. 


98  ®pvil  5 


Perhaps  he  shows  us  things,  sometimes,  and  puts 
them  away  again  for  us,  to  give  us.  by  and  by,  when 
we  are  bigger;  as  mothers  do  with  children's  playthings 
that  are  too  beautiful  for  them  to  have  right  off. 

When  people  don't  know  which  way  to  turn,  it  is 
very  often  good  not  to  turn  at  all :  if  they  are  driven  they 
do  know.  It  is  almost  always  when  things  are  all 
blocked  up  and  impossible,  that  a  happening  comes 
It  has  to.  A  dead  block  can't  last,  any  more  than  o 
vacuum.  If  you  are  sure  you  are  looking  and  ready, 
that  is  all  you  need.  God  is  turning  the  world  round 
all  the  time. 

Mrs.  A.  T.  D.  Whitney. 


O  God  of  light,  as  the  evening  shades  descend  and 
stars,  one  by  one,  shine  forth;  so,  as  the  shadows  of 
life  gather  about  us  through  the  darkness  may  Thy 
light  shine  revealing  the  hidden  joys  and  riches 
of  eternity.  As  Jesus  taught,  "  love  worketh  no  ill 
to  his  neighbor,"  so  upon  our  awakening  from  sleep 
may  we  learn  to  know  and  love  our  neighbor,  hitherto 
a  stranger.  We  pray  that  Thou  wilt  accept  us  in  the 
service  of  faith  and  love,  and  that  Thou  wilt  help  us 
to  place  all  our  hope  and  dependence  in  Thee.  Help 
us  to  overcome  the  disappointments  of  time,  that  we 
may  entertain  the  joys  of  eternity.    Amen. 

George  A.  Sahlin. 


&jjril  6  99 

/  think  if  thou   couldst  knoiu, 

O  soul  that  will  complain, 
What  lies  concealed  below 

Our  burden  and  our  pain; 

How  just  our  anguish  brings 

Nearer  those  longed-for  things 

We  seek  for  now  in  vain,  — 
/  think  thou  wouldst  rejoice,    and  not  complain. 

And  yet  thou  canst  not  know, 

And  yet  thou  canst  not  see; 
Wisdom  and  sight  are  slow 

In  poor  humanity. 

If  thou  couldst  trust,  poor  soul, 

In  Him  who  rules  the  whole, 

Thou  wouldst  find  peace  and  rest: 
Wisdom  and  sight  are  well,   but  trust   is   best. 
Adelaide  A.  Procter. 

Our  Father,  we  rejoice  that  Thy  knowledge  is  as 
perfect  as  Thy  goodness  and  mercy  and  that  love 
tempers  and  controls  Thy  acquaintance  with  all  our 
ways.  Teach  us  to  restrain  our  complaints.  Put  a 
new  song  in  our  mouth,  even  praise  to  the  Most  High. 
Create  within  us  trustful  as  well  as  clean  hearts; 
and  make  us  desire  more  Thyself  than  the  things  Thou 
canst  give.  When  we  walk  in  the  valley  of  disappoint- 
ment or  sorrow,  give  us,  we  pray  Thee,  the  light  of 
hope  and  the  guide  of  faith.  May  we  hear  the  Divine 
Voice  saying  to  us  as  to  the  disciples  of  old,  "  My 
peace  I  give  unto  you;  "  and  help  us  to  encourage 
others  with  that  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are 
comforted  of  God.     Amen. 

Frank  W.  Merrick. 


ioo  &j)nl  7 


Did  early  hope 

Dream  of  a  gentler  slope, 

Tuneful  with  Spring's  alluring  roundelay, 

And  bright 

With  cloudless  light 

Poured  on  thy  joyful  way  ? 

Ah,  courage  keep; 

Press  on  and  scale  the  steep 

Till  thou  the  last  sharp,  rugged  crag  shall  climb; 

There  shalt  thou  gain  a  view  far  more  sublime, 

And  fairer  seem  thy  track 

When  looking  back  ! 

Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 


Our  Father  of  the  sunset  and  the  evening,  let  us  feel 
the  silent  providence  of  Thy  love.  Help  us  to  recall 
the  glad  achievement  of  Thy  presence  in  the  eager 
moments  of  endeavor;  and  now  in  the  restfulness  of 
sweet  fatigue  lead  us  into  communion  with  Thy 
strength.  Let  Thy  covering  of  the  friendly  night 
protect  us  for  the  morrow's  task,  and  so,  mature  within 
the  waiting  breast  the  high  enterprise  of  the  coming 
day.  Lead  us  up  the  pathway  of  the  vales  and  along 
the  firm  footing  of  the  crags  until  we  stand  upon  the 
heights  of  life  and  see  Thy  beauty  in  the  stars  and 
in  the  light  of  day.  As  we  look  back  upon  Thy  com- 
panionship in  the  toil  and  pain  of  our  adventure,  let 
us  see  the  fair  wisdom  of  the  way;  and  grant  to  us  the 
power  to  share  Thy  patience  and  Thine  everlasting 
courage.     Amen. 

Daniel  Dulaney  Addison. 


Slprtl  8  ioi 


Let  us  try  to  be  sensible;  let  us  try  to  be  good-natured; 
let  us  try  to  be  fair. 

Charles  Dickens. 


Be  a  good  comrade.  Learn  the  secret  of  good  com- 
radeship. Many  men  do  not  know  it  at  all.  Be  just, 
strong,  frank,  fearless,  independent,  but  add  your 
strength  to  the  strength  of  your  fellows.  Do  not  stand 
aloof,  or  sulk,  or  be  unsocial.  Do  not  jeer  at  other 
men  and  find  fault  with  them.  Learn  to  do  "  team 
work"  learn  to  cooperate.  Give  and  take  in  friendly 
conversation.     Be  generous. 

Charles  F.  Dole. 


We  bring  to  Thee,  our  heavenly  Father  and  our 
earthly  Comrade,  the  day  just  closing,  and  ask  Thy 
benediction  upon  it.  Forgive  the  wrongs  we  have 
done.  Forgive  the  foolish  things  that  mar  our  pleasure 
as  we   recall   the   day's  experiences.     As   Thou    art 

faithful  and  just  to  forgive,"  may  we  try  to  forget 
all  that  Thou  art  willing  to  forgive.  We  bless  Thee 
for  whatever  of  success  the  day  has  brought  us,  and 
we  thank  Thee  for  all  its  many  gladnesses,  for  "  every 
good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  "  is  from  Thee.  May 
the  memory  of  Thy  goodness  and  Thy  grace  today  be 
an  incentive  to  a  stronger  faith  on  the  morrow.  May 
the  days  to  come  see  less  of  wrong  and  more  of  loving 
loyalty  to  Thyself.  May  we  be  true  comrades  with 
one  another  in  the  inspiration  of  Thine  own  true 
comradeship.     Amen. 

Clarence  F.  Swift. 


102  3jnii  9 

Here  is  a  door  that  opens  on 

A  chamber  darkened  full  of  gloom. 
A  ghostly  light  shines  in   upon 

The  dwellers  in  this  spacious  room. 
Here  fear  and  trouble  pace  about, 

Anxiety  and  woe  and  grief, 
Foreboding  weariness  and  doubt 

And  worry  that  escapes  relief. 
This  door  I  call  "  Forgetfulness  "  — 

In  letters  deep  the  word  is  cut  — 
And,  though  the  dwellers  madly  press, 

I  keep  it  ever  tightly  shut. 

This  other  door  "Remembrance  "  is, 

It  opens  on   a  cheerful  scene  — 
Past  joys  and  little  tastes  of  bliss 

And  happy   moments  that  have  been. 
Dear  peace  and  sweet  content  are  here 

And  little  deeds  of  kindness  done 
And  hope  and  love  and  faith  and  cheer 

And  blessings  that  my  life  hath  won. 
This  door  is  open   all  the  while, 

Flung  wide  that  every  one  may  share 
Possessions  that  make  life  a  smile 

And  put  to  rout  all  thoughts  of  care. 

John  Kendrick  Bangs. 

Dear  Father  in  heaven,  we  would  forget  the  failures 
and  prejudices  of  the  past.  We  would  put  them  be- 
hind us  and  bury  them  in  the  sea  of  oblivion.  Let  us 
as  we  lie  down  to  sleep  forget  all  the  heartache  and 
sorrow  and  remember  only  that  we  are  still  with  Thee. 
Amen. 

Joseph  K.  Mason. 


&$vil  10  ic3 

/  heard  a  robin  singing   in  the  rain, 

Its  bird-soul  pleading  low.     Again,  again 

It  called  to  those  sore-spent  ivith  Life's  dull  sting 

To  open  their  soul-windows  to  the  Spring. 

Surely  it  seemed  those   vibrant  notes  might  lend 

Fresh  courage;    my  tired  heart  defend 

'Gainst  utter  numbness.      Yet  all  sound 

First  touched  my  senses,   sorrow-bound,  in  vain, 

E'en  as  the  tranquil  cadence  of  the  rain 

Upon  a  home  deserted,  lone,  remote. 

And  then  there  fell  one  low,  pulsating  note, 

That  jarred  a  slumbering  hurt  and  freshly  smote 

My  soul,  awoke  the  old,   insistent  pain; 

New  consciousness  and  heart  to  fight  again. 

Mary  Baldwin. 

O  Lord,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  revelation  of  Thyself 
in  Thy  Word  and  in  Nature.  Jesus  gathered  lessons 
from  the  sower  who  went  forth  to  sow;  the  sparrow 
worth  half  a  farthing,  and  the  lilies  in  their  beauty. 
All  Nature  speaks  of  Thee.  Thy  power  upholdeth  the 
mountains  and  gives  lustre  to  the  insect's  wing.  The 
sunshine  and  the  rain  are  Thine;  Thine  is  the  Land 
and  Thine  the  sea.  All  Nature  praises  Thee  and  we 
praise  Thee.  We  give  thanks  for  the  sunlight  and 
for  the  shadows;  for  the  changing  seasons;  for  joy 
and  for  sorrow  too. 

Even  sorrow  touched  by  Thee  grows  bright 
With  more  than  rapture's  ray, 
As  darkness  shows  us  worlds  of  light 
We  never  saw  by  day." 

We  rest  in  Thee.    May  Thy  guardian  angels  watch 
over  us  while  we  sleep.    Amen. 
Robert  Forbes. 


io4  &j>ril  11 


/  know  a  boy  across  the  way 
Who  whistles  all  the  livelong  day! 
I  pause  to  listen,  glad  to  hear 
His  shrill  crescendos,  sweet  and  clear. 

He's  all  a  boy,  a  sturdy  lad; 
He's  always  gay  and  always  glad, 
For  care  and  trouble  dare  not  stay  — 
He  simply  whistles  them  away! 

He  has  his  daily  tasks  to  do, 
His  morning  chores,  his  lessons,  too; 
And  yet  he  whistles  like  a  lark 
From  early  dawn  to  falling  dark. 

O  wise  yet  boyish  friend  of  mine! 
What  true  philosophy  is  thine! 
Thy  joy  is  catching  —  /  would  be 
A  messenger  of  cheer,  like  thee! 

Lew  Marston  Ward. 


Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast 
put  some  song  into  every  heart.  Often  we  allow  it 
to  be  suppressed  before  it  is  articulated.  By  the  dis- 
couragements of  the  day,  by  the  ills  of  the  body,  by 
the  suggestions  of  our  own  thoughts  we  kill  the  song 
that  would  find  expression.  Oh  help  us  to  throw  oft 
the  sorrow  and  the  fear  and  the  anxiety  and  with 
glad  abandon  sing  as  the  boy  would  sing  or  whistle, 
the  pent  up  music  of  his  heart.  So  may  we  by  ex- 
pression make  our  gladness  more.    Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


&|jrfl  12  105 


A  kiss  of  greeting  is  sweet  and  rare 

After  the  toil  of  the  day, 
And  it  smoothes  the  furrows  plowed  by  care, 
The  lines  of  the  forehead  you  once  called  fair, 

In  the  years  that  have  flown   away. 

'Tts  a  little  thing  to  say  "  You  are  kind," 

I  love  you,  my  dear,"  each  night; 
But  it  sends  a  thrill  through  the  heart,  I  find  — 
For  love  is  tender,  as  love  is  blind  — 
As    we  climb  life's  rugged  height. 

We  starve  each  other  for  love's  caresses; 

We  take,  but  we  do  not  give; 
It  seems  so  easy  some  soul  to  bless, 
But  we  dole  the  love  grudgingly,  less  and  less, 
Till  'tis  bitter  and  hard  to  live. 

Anonymous. 

God  of  the  morning  and  evening,  through  the  day 
Thou  hast  been  our  protector,  through  the  night  wilt 
Thou  be  our  guardian  ?  Wilt  Thou  blot  from  Thy  book 
of  remembrance  the  injustice  we  have  done,  the  unkind 
word  that  we  have  spoken,  the  unloving  thought  which 
we  have  cherished,  anything  and  everything  that 
has  made  life  harder  or  sadder  for  our  kind  ?  May 
our  prayer  for  forgiveness  for  our  sins  be  a  pledge  to 
Thee  that  the  new  day  shall  be  a  day  of  larger  loyalty 
to  Thee  and  of  greater  service  to  our  fellows.  Let 
Thy  iove  watch  over  us  as  loving  mothers  love  and 
watch  their  babes,  and  sleeping  or  waking  may  we  be 
enfolded  in  the  arms  of  Him  to  whom  the  darkness 
and  the  light  are  both  alike.  Amen. 
Almon  Gunnison. 


io6  &#vil  13 


You  were  made  for  enjoyment  and  the  world  was 
filled  with  things  which  you  will  enjoy,  unless  you  are 
too  proud  to  be  pleased  by  them,  or  too  grasping  to  care 
for  what  you  cannot  turn  to  other  account  than  mere 
delight. 

RUSKIN. 

For  ages,  happiness  has  been  represented  as  a  huge, 
precious  stone,  impossible  to  find,  which  people  seek 
for  hopelessly.  It  is  not  so;  happiness  is  a  mosaic, 
composed  of  a  thousand  little  stones,  which  separately 
and  of  themselves  have  little  value,  but  which  united 
with  art  form  a  graceful  design. 

De  Girardin. 

Almighty  God,  the  Father  of  our  Saviour  and  our 
constant  Friend,  we  thank  Thee  that  Thou  wast 
pleased  to  bring  us  into  this  world  of  Thine  as  chil- 
dren who  lay  upon  their  mothers'  breasts  in  trust  and 
who  there  learned  contentment.  We  thank  Thee  for 
Thy  Son  who  preserved  His  childlike  trust  through 
life  and  through  the  agony  of  death.  We  thank  Thee 
that  through  Him  we  have  learned  the  beauty  and 
the  righteousness  of  peace  and  joy.  In  His  Name 
we  thank  Thee  for  all  things  bright  and  good  that  have 
ministered  to  our  cheer  today.  We  lament  befon 
Thee  those  wilful  stirrings  of  our  pride  which  have 
turned  this  beauty  to  ashes  and  this  praise  to  heaviness. 
And  before  we  sleep  we  thank  Thee  for  Thy  forgive- 
ness and  lay  us  down  under  the  ordered  brilliance  of 
Thy  stars  and  with  the  holy  hope  of  a  life  everlasting. 
Amen. 

Ambrose  W.  Vernon. 


ajnil  14  107 


0,  holy  Night !    from  thee  I  learn  to  bear 

What  man  has  borne  before! 
Thou  layest  thy  finger  on  the  lips  of  Care, 

And  they  complain   no  more. 

Peace!     Peace!     Orestes-like  I  breathe  this  prayer! 

Descend  with  broad-winged  flight, 
The  welcome,  the  thrice-prayed-for,  the  most  fair, 

The  best-beloved  Night ! 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 


O  Lord,  let  this  be  a  time  to  be  alone,  to  be  quiet 
and  to  be  serene,  a  time  to  think  charitably;  a  time 
to  realize  that  the  world  is  large  and  that  I  am  tiny; 
a  time  to  be  brave  and  to  be  fair  of  soul.  O  God, 
grant  me  this  and  that  I  may  be  fully  born  in  the 
character  of  my  noblest  dreams  of  day  or  night. 
And  I  ask  that  no  morning  flood  of  light,  or  noon- 
day fire,  or  evening  chill  may  ever  again  surprise 
me  as  less  than  this.    Amen. 

Elihu  Grant. 


108  &j)til  15 

"  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down.  Neither  shall 
thy  moon  withdraw  itself;  for  the  Lord  shall  be  thine 
everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourning  shall 
be  ended." 

Isaiah  60:  20. 


For  darkness   passes;    storms  shall  not   abide; 

A  little  patience,  and  the  fog  is  past. 
After  the  sorrow  of  the  ebbing  tide, 

The  singing  floods  return  in  joy  at  last. 

The  night  is  long  and  pain  weighs  heavily, 
But  God  will  hold  His  world  above  despair. 

Look  to  the  east,  where  up  the  lurid  sky 

The  morning  climbs  !    The  day  shall  yet  be  fair. 

Celia  Thaxter. 


Father,  we  believe  that  we  stand  here  in  the  midst 
of  the  turmoil  with  the  sounds  of  pain  in  our  ears 
and  the  sights  of  evil  saddening  our  hearts,  and  still 
may  trust  in  God,  believing  that  this  mighty  maze 
is  not  without  a  plan,  believing  that  there  is  a  heart 
that  loves,  a  hand  that  guides  and  an  intelligence 
that  points  out  the  way  to  that  final  victory  which 
shall  make  the  process  through  which  we  are  passing 
here  grandly  worth  while.  Lead  us  as  Thou  wilt. 
Let  the  sun  shine  on  us,  let  the  rains  fall,  let  the  way 
be  mist-hidden;  but  still  let  us  clasp  Thy  hand  and 
stand  waiting  for  the  way  to  open,  or  taking  the  next 
step  as  soon  as  it  appears,  —  in  any  case,  trusting 
in  Thee,  and  lifted  and  led  by  the  thought  of  Thy 
goodness  forever.    Amen. 

Minot  J.  Savage. 


Styril  16  109 

When  we  open  our  eyes  morning  after  morning  and 
find  the  old  struggle  on  which  we  closed  our  eyes  last 
night  awaiting  us;  .  .  .  when  all  our  habits  and 
thoughts  have  become  entwined  and  colored  with  some 
tyrannical  necessity,  which,  however  much  it  may 
change  the  form  of  its  tyranny,  will  never  let  us  go,  — 
it  grows  so  hard  as  almost  to  appear  impossible  for 
us  to  anticipate  that  that  dominion  ever  is  to  dis- 
appear. But  the  day  comes,  nevertheless.  Some 
morning  we  go  out  to  meet  the  old  struggle  and  it  is 
not  there.  .  .  .  Things  do  get  done,  and  when  any- 
thing is  really  finished,  then  come  thoughtful  mo- 
ments in  which  we  ask  ourselves  whether  we  have  let 
that  which  we  shall  know  no  longer  do  for  us  all  that 
it  had  in  its  power  to  do,  whether  we  are  carrying  out 
of  the  finished  experience  that  which  it  has  all  along 
been  trying  to  give  to  our  characters  and  souls. 

Phillips  Brooks. 


Dear  Father,  ere  we  rest  our  bodies  this  night,  we 
would  compose  our  minds  and  solace  our  spirits  by 
a  moment  of  communion  with  Thee.  The  day  has 
brought  its  labors  and  cares  and  some  of  its  hours 
have  been  filled  with  anxieties.  Though  the  day  is 
done,  its  perplexities  remain,  and  in  the  darkness 
they  even  seem  greater.  We  bear  up  to  Thee,  O 
Thou  unwearied  and  unperplexed  Guardian  of  our 
lives,  the  burdens  we  have  not  been  able  to  dismiss, 
and  pray  that  it  may  be  Thy  good  pleasure  that  when 
morning  dawns  again,  we  may  find  them  gone.  Only 
let  it  be  Thy  holy  will  that  the  good  our  cares  and 
worries  are  fitted  to  educe,  be  not  lost  out  of  our  lives. 
So  may  Thy  peace  ever  enfold  us.    Amen. 

I.  M.  Atv.ood. 


no  @LpVil   17 


When  I  compare 
What  I  have  lost  with  what  I  have  gained, 
What  I  have  missed  with  what  attained, 
Little  room  do  I  find  for  pride. 

I  am  aware 
How  many  days  have  been  idly  spent; 
How  like  an  arrow  the  good  intent 
Has  fallen  short  or  been  turned  aside. 

But  who  shall  dare 
To  measure  loss  and  gain  in  this  wise? 
Defeat  may  be  victory  in  disguise; 

The  lowest  ebb  is  the  turn  of  the  tide. 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 


Truly,  O  Lord,  we  have  left  undone  those  things 
which  we  ought  to  have  done  and  we  have  done  those 
things  which  we  ought  not  to  have  done.  At  best  we 
are  but  unprofitable  servants.  But  Thou,  O  Lord, 
who  art  not  quick  to  mark  iniquity,  Thou  art  quick 
to  discern  the  good  intents  and  purposes  of  our  hearts. 
Like  as  a  father  joys  in  them  so  dost  Thou  joy  in 
them  and  dost  perceive  them  when  yet  they  are  a  great 
way  off.  Thou  judgest  us  not  by  what  we  are  but 
by  what  we  would  be.  O  Lord,  increase  our  faith, 
and  grant  us  a  due  sense  of  Thy  wondrous  com- 
passions. Teach  us  how  to  rest  in  Thee,  the  com- 
fort of  the  sorrowing  and  the  lifter-up  of  all  who  fall. 
Awaken  us  on  the  morrow  with  strength  renewed  for 
gladsome  service  of  Thee  and  of  Thy  Kingdom. 
Amen. 

Christopher  W.  Collier. 


StJJtil  18  in 


Beat  thou  with  joy,  my  Heart,  for  thou  dost  beat 

Within  the  fount  of  love  that  beats  in  thee  ! 

Rise  and  breathe  free,  my  Soul  /     Thou  breathest  not 

In  earthly  damps,  but  in  the  air  of  God. 

Sail  joyful  forth,  my  Ship  of  Life  !      Nor  wind, 

Nor  wave,  can  work  thee  harm  !    Thy  haven  is 

Thine  anchor.     Even  wreck  is  still  in  God. 

Luella  Dowd  Smith. 


Infinite  Love,  fill  our  hearts  from  the  fountain 
of  Thy  goodness.  May  we  know  that  only  in  love 
do  we  truly  live  and  move  and  have  our  being.  May 
we  know  the  joy  of  living  in  the  light  and  air  of  devo- 
tion and  service  to  others.  May  we  sleep  in  peace 
and  the  morning  deepen  our  consciousness  and  joy 
that  we  are  called  to  the  heavenly  dignity  of  fellow- 
workers  with  Thee  in  creating  among  men  the  king- 
dom of  love,  peace  and  joy.  May  we  call  the  Pilot  of 
Galilee  aboard  our  ship  and  outride  the  storms  of 
life's  sea  of  change  and  temptations.  We  thank  Thee 
for  our  Captain's  strong,  firm  hand  on  the  rudder  of 
the  world's  ship  of  progress  making  against  every 
wind  of  disaster  for  the  port  of  truth,  liberty  and 
righteousness.     Amen. 

Richmond  Fisk. 


H2  ®$vil  19 

So  many  gods,  so  many  creeds, 
So  many  ways  that  wind  and  wind; 
While  just  the  art  of  being  kind 
Is  all  this  sad  world  needs.. 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 

You  will  find,  as  you  look  back  upon  your  life,  that 
the  moments  that  stand  out  —  the  moments  when  you 
have  really  lived  —  are  the  moments  when  you  have 
done  things  in  a  spirit  of  love.  As  memory  scans  the 
past,  above  and  beyond  all  the  transitory  pleasures 
of  life  there  leap  forward  those  supreme  hours  when  you 
have  been  enabled  to  do  unnoticed  kindnesses  to  those 
round  about  you,  things  too  trifling  to  speak  about,  but 
which  you  feel  have  entered  into  your  eternal  life. 

Henry  Drummond. 

Father,  Thou  hast  given  me  another  day  to  live 
and  love  and  labor,  and  now,  while  the  night  shades 
fall  around  me  and  rest  time  draws  near,  I  thank 
Thee  for  all  that  this  day  has  meant  to  me.  When  the 
morrow  comes,  with  its  new  opportunities  and  its 
new  messages  and  its  new  experiences,  may  I  move 
through  it  stronger,  braver,  kinder,  truer,  because  of 
the  love  and  the  light  which  has  so  filled  today. 
Teach  me,-  my  Father,  to  love  as  Thou  dost  love. 
Help  me  to  love  my  fellow  men.  Help  me  to  know 
their  needs,  their  sorrows,  their  heart  hunger,  their 
spiritual  yearnings,  and  then  strengthen  me  to  go  to 
them,  in  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  and  do  all  that  lieth  in 
my  power  to  make  the  morrow  brighter  and  happier 
and  more  heaven-like  for  them.  And  may  that  "  peace 
which  passeth  all  understanding,"  be  theirs,  and 
mine,  forever.  Amen. 
Hazen  Conklin. 


Hjltfl  20  113 


//  isn't  raining  rain  to  me, 

It's  raining  daffodils; 
In  every  dimpled  drop  I  see 

Wild  flowers  on   the  bills. 
The  clouds  of  grey  engulf  the  day 

And  overwhelm  the  town  — 
It  isn't  raining  rain  to  me, 

It's  raining  roses  down. 

It  isn't  raining  rain  to  me 

But  fields  of  clover  bloom, 
Where  any  buccaneering  bee 

May  find  a  bed  and  room, 
A  health  unto  the  happy 

A  fig  for  him  who  frets  — 
It  isn't  raining  rain  to  me, 

It's  raining  violets. 

Robert  Loveman. 


Heavenly  Father,  we  rejoice  in  that  inner  vision 
which  makes  us  superior  to  anything  that  can  happen 
in  the  world  about  us;  which  enables  us  to  see  the 
summer  when  it  is  winter,  to  see  the  sun  when  the 
clouds  are  thick,  to  think  of  daffodils,  clover  blossoms 
and  violets  when  the  rain  is  falling.  Help  us  to  look 
with  eyes  of  faith  beyond  all  failure,  all  misfortune, 
all  threatened  disaster,  to  the  finer  and  larger  ends  of 
life.  Lead  us  on  with  hope.  Build  us  up  in  righteous 
purpose  and  crown  our  lives  with  peace.  Amen. 
George  L.  Perin. 


ii4  &j)rii  21 


Oh,  if  a  man  could  be  but  as   a  star, 
Having  bis  place  appointed    here  to  rise 
And  there  to   set,   unchanged   by   earthly   change, 
Content  if  it  can  guide  some  wandering  bark, 
Or  be  a  beacon  to  some   home-sick  soul! 

Edward  Rowland  Sill. 

We  are  to  take  it  for  granted  that  every  creature  of 
God  is  in  some  way  good,  and  has  a  duty  and  specific 
operation  providentially  accessory  to  the  well-being 
of  all. 

RUSKIN. 

Almighty  Father  Eternal,  Unchangeable,  who 
blesseth  all;  who  sendest  the  sunshine  and  the  storm 
whose  gifts  upon  the  worthy  and  the  outcast  fall 
whose  mighty  arm  holdest  in  safety  all  Thy  children 
whose  goodness  and  perfection  guidest  our  steps  in 
the  pathway  of  eternal  life,  —  from  the  dawning  light 
through  the  noontide  heat  until  the  evening  calm 
Thy  servant  hath  toiled  for  the  daily  needs  and  in 
loving  service  to  the  neighbor  and  the  friend.  O 
Father!  If  we  have  wrought  deeds  helpful  and  sweet 
and  kind  and  pure,  have  heartened  any  soul,  made  a 
little  brighter  for  another  and  safer  the  King's  high- 
way, comforted  any  heart  with  something  of  the  love 
wherewith  Thou  comfortest  me,  grant  Thy  gracious 
word,"  Well  done!  "  Our  deeds,  unfruitful,  O  Lord, 
forgive!     Amen. 

Arthur  W.   Littlefield. 


apcil  22  115 


Remember,  you  cannot  see  both  sides  of  the  coin  at 
once.  When  you  are  discouraged  by  the  striving  of 
the  animal  nature  and  utterly  disgusted  with  yourself 
and  hating  yourself  as  wholly  unre generate,  the  noblest 
exercise  of  your  mental  faculty  is  to  force  yourself  to  turn 
over  the  coin  of  yourself,  and  think  intensely  into  the 
other  side.  Say  '  But  I  am  the  Lord's;  His  image  is 
stamped  on  me.  His  life  is  in  me;  His  eternal  purpose 
is  my  perfection.     My  true  ego  is  His  Divine  Spirit. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


O  Thou,  who  art  the  strength  of  my  days,  and  the 
comfort  of  my  nights,  to  whom  shall  I  go,  but  unto 
Thee,  when  the  shadows  veil  my  sight  and  the  din  of 
the  closing  day  lingers  in  my  ears.  My  spirit  feels 
the  jar  of  the  world's  restlessness;  my  heart  seems 
so  scant  of  courage,  and  my  will  so  feeble  to  do  Thy 
will.  Hold  Thou  my  hand,  while  on  bended  knee  I 
seek  that  light  which  makes  the  night  brighter  than 
the  day.  As  the  shadows  dissolve  I  behold  Thine 
image  in  me  so  long  obscured.  I  turn  my  darkened 
side  to  Thee,  my  sun  and  my  shield.  Open  my  eyes 
to  the  grace  and  beauty  of  Thy  divine  reflection  in  my 
being.  Defend  me  in  my  weakness  and  clothe  me 
safely  round  with  infinite  love  and  wisdom.     Amen. 

William  Frederick  Dickerman. 


n6  SjirU  23 


7^'j-  ^  kindly  hearts  of  earth  that  make 

This  good  old  world  worth  while, 
It's  the  lips  with  tender  words  that  wake 

The  care-erasing  smile. 
And  I  ask  my  soul  this  question  when 

My  goodly  gifts  I  see,  — 
Am  I  a  friend  to  as  many  men 

As  have  been  good  friends  to  me  ? 

When  my  brothers  speak  a  word  of  praise 

My  wavering  will  to  aid, 
I  ask  if  ever  their  long,  long  ways 

My  words  have  brighter  made. 
And  to  my  heart  I  bring  again 

This  eager,  earnest  plea,  — 
Make  me  a  friend  to  as  many  men 

As  are  good,  staunch  friends  to  me. 

Nixon  Waterman. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  pray  Thee  to  help  us  to 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  our  Lord  and  Master  who 
had  compassion  on  men,  was  touched  with  the 
feeling  of  their  infirmities,  healed  their  sicknesses, 
went  about  doing  good.  May  our  ministries  be 
offered  in  His  name,  and  for  the  sake  of  His  Kingdom 
on  earth.  Increase  our  love  for  Thee,  that  our  love 
for  our  fellow  men  may  be  more  effective  in  service 
for  their  good.  Make  us  glad  to  do  all  faithful  work 
for  Thee  here,  in  the  assurance  that,  at  the  last,  when 
life's  evening  comes,  the  Master  will  say  —  "Inas- 
much as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  Me."     Amen. 

William  E.  Huntington. 


Sljuil  24  117 


He  has  achieved  success  who  has  lived  well,  laughed 
often  and  loved  much;  who  has  gained  the  respect  of 
intelligent  men  and  the  love  of  little  children;  who 
has  piled  his  niche  and  accomplished  his  task;  who 
has  left  the  world  better  than  he  found  it,  whether  by 
an  improved  poppy,  a  perfect  poem,  or  a  rescued  soul; 
who  has  never  lacked  appreciation  of  earth's  beauty, 
or  failed  to  express  it ;  who  has  always  looked  for  the 
best  in  others  and  given  the  best  he  had;  whose  life 
was  an  inspiration;  whose  memory  a  benediction. 

Bessie  A.  Stanley. 


Almighty  and  loving  Heavenly  Father;  the  evening 
darkness  has  come,  another  day's  record  is  before 
Thee.  Grant  that  what  we  have  done  in  love  may 
have  brought  the  smile  to  some  weary  face,  gladness 
and  comfort  to  some  sad  heart.  Grant  that  we  may 
have  won  the  respect  of  men  by  our  manliness  and 
the  affection  of  children  by  our  gentleness.  Grant 
that  trying  to  fulfil  Thy  plan  for  us  today  this  strange 
world  may  be  a  little  better  for  our  living,  our  serving. 
Bless,  O  God,  our  personal  endeavor  to  exalt  the 
beautiful  and  the  good  and  our  effort  to  search  out 
and  uplift  a  soul.  We  are  grateful  for  life.  Keep 
us  by  Thy  grace  at  our  best  and  because  we  are  the 
friends  of  Christ  help  us  to  be  always  and  ever  a 
hope  and  a  blessing  to  everyone.     Amen. 

Charles  F.  Weeden. 


n8  ®pvil  25 


Be  strong. 

The  way  is  steep,  the  way  is  long; 

There  is  no  ending  till  thy  strength  shall  end, — 
And  yet,  be  strong. 

Be  brave. 

The  night  is  dark,  the  goal's  the  grave. 

They  need  not  courage  who  have  Hope  for  friend, 
But  thou,  be  brave. 

L.  B.  Bridgman. 

O  God,  our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  night. 
We  bless  Thee  that  through  its  darkness  and  perils, 
we  are  under  the  watch-care  and  protection  of  One 
who  never  slumbers  nor  sleeps,  and  that  therefore 
we  are  not  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night,  nor  for  the 
pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness.  We  thank  Thee 
for  all  the  rich  blessings  which  the  night  brings,  its 
quiet  and  rest,  its  sleep,  its  refreshment  for  the  body, 
its  revelations,  its  lessons.  And  whenever  the  night 
comes  to  us,  grant  us  all  these  blessings  which  the 
darkness  may  bring.  Give  us  sleep;  or  if  this  should 
be  denied  us,  give  us  the  peace  that  comes  from 
knowing  that  Thou  art  watching  over  us,  and  in  the 
stillness  of  its  wakeful  hours,  when  all  other  voices 
are  hushed,  may  we  hear  Thy  voice.  And  then  at 
last  bring  us  to  the  land  of  which  it  is  said  "  there 
shall  be  no  night  there;  and  they  need  no  candle 
neither  light  of  the  sun;  for  the  Lord  God  giveth 
them  light."     Amen. 

William  Wirt  King. 


^Urtl  26  119 

Our  course  is  onward,  onward  into  light: 

What  though  the  darkness  gather eth  amain. 

Yet  to  return  or  tarry,  both  are  vain. 

How  tarry,  when   around  us   is  thick  night  ? 

Whither  return  ?  what  flower  yet  ever  might, 

In  days  of  gloom,  and  cold,  and  stormy  rain, 

Enclose  itself  in  its  green   bud  again, 

Hiding  from  wrath   of  tempest   out  of  sight? 

Courage  !  —  we  travel  through   a  darksome  cave; 

But  still,  as   nearer  to  the  light  we  draw, 

Fresh  gales  will  reach  us  from  the  upper  air, 

And  wholesome   dews    of   heaven    our  foreheads   lave, 

The  darkness  lightens   more,  till  full  of  awe 

We  stand  in  the  open   sunshine  —  unaware. 

Richard  Chenevix  Trench. 

O  God,  Father  of  us  all,  hear  our  prayer.  The 
day  is  past.  The  night  is  come.  While  the  day  was 
we  were  in  Thy  hands  and  the  objects  of  Thy  tender 
solicitude.  While  the  night  is  may  we  not  depart  out 
of  Thy  care  and  keeping.  Give  sleep  to  our  eyes  and 
slumber  to  our  eyelids.  Give  refreshing  rest  to  our 
bodies,  wearied  with  the  burden-bearing.  Give  sweet 
content  to  our  minds  cumbered  with  many  anxieties. 
Give  comfort  to  our  hearts,  heavy,  it  may  be,  with 
sorrow,  and  torn,  it  may  be,  with  anguish.  Give  peace 
to  our  spirits,  disturbed  by  our  fretfulness,  disquieted 
by  our  disappointments,  distraught,  perchance,  by  our 
unbelief.  May  the  spirit  of  fear  depart.  May  the 
spirit  of  love  abide.  Grant  unto  us  quietness  and 
peace  in  the  night  watches.  And  may  we  face  the  new 
day  with  a  new  access  of  joy  and  hope  and  courage, 
and  with  the  purpose  of  high  service  holding  undis- 
puted sway  over  our  hearts.     Amen. 

Stephen  J.  Herben. 


i2o  &J)til  27 


Whither  upon  this  strange  and  changeful  sea  — 

Now  calm,  now  joyful,  sparkling  in  the  sun 

As  if  a  million  diamonds  rained  from  heaven, 

Now  dark  with  gathering  clouds,  now  swept  by  storm  — 

Drifts  my  frail  bark,  beset  with  doubts  and  fears? 

I  cannot  clearly  see,  the  night  comes  on, 

The   hoarse   gale   blows    its   bellowing   trumpets   wild, 

And  like  a  shroud  the  dread  mist  wraps  me  in. 

I  fear  the  night,  I  hear  the  breakers  grind 

Upon  the  cruel,  threatening  rocks.     But  still 

To  guide  me  on  my  way,  to  quell  my  fear, 

From  the  far  shores,  with  oft-repeated  tones, 

I  hear  a  steady  signal  blowing  loud 

Through   the  thick   night,   above  the  tempest's   roar, 

With  clarion  voice  proclaiming :  God  is  Love. 

In  vain  the  angry  winds  that  voice  defy, 

In  vain  their  tumult  would  His  signal  drown, 

In  vain  the  murky  fog  would  smother  it; 

Through  all  the  storm,  through  all  the  doubt  and  gloom, 

I  hear  the  broken  echoes  answer:  Love  I 

Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 

Our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  a  measure  of  faith 
in  the  "  love  that  will  not  let  us  go."  We  pray  that 
this  faith  may  fail  not  in  the  darkness.  May  it  be 
strong  enough  to  stand  the  strain  of  life.  When 
the  mists  shut  in  about  us,  when  the  storms  brew 
and  mutter,  when  "  the  shadows  of  the  evening  are 
stretched  out,"  help  us  still  to  believe  in  God,  whose 
goodness  faileth  not  by  day  or  night.  Give  us  to 
fall  quietly  asleep  this  night  in  the  happy  conscious- 
ness, that  always  there  standeth  One  within  the 
shadows,   "  keeping  watch  above  his  own."     Amen. 

Lucius  H.  Bugbee. 


SMnit  28  121 


The  world  is  all  too  sad  for  tears; 

I  would  not  weep,  not  I ! 
But  smile  along  my  life's  short  road, 

Until  I  smiling  die. 
The  little  flowers  breathe  fragrance  out 

Through  all  the  dewy  night; 
Shall  I  more  churlish  be  than  they, 

And  'plain  for  constant  light? 
Not  so  !  not  so  !  no  load  of  woe 

Need  bring  despairing  frown; 
For  while  we  bear  it,  we  can  bear; 

Past  that,  we  lay  it  down. 

Sarah  Williams. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  may  we  feel  the  joy  of  Thy 
comforting  and  strengthening  Hand.  May  what 
in  the  day  has  been  perplexing,  in  the  night  be  clear 
and  the  assurance  of  Thy  guiding  and  protecting 
blessing  enable  us  to  lie  down  in  peace  to  sleep, 
since  Thou,  Lord,  only  makest  us  dwell  in  safety. 
May  the  burdens  that  have  seemed  heavy  grow 
light  and  happy  anticipations  of  the  glory  that  shall 
be  revealed  in  us,  of  the  day  when  the  faces  of  friends 
long  lost  shall  reappear,  when  sorrow  shall  be  turned 
into  joy.  Fill  the  hours,  waking  or  sleeping,  with 
rich  refreshment  and  so  this  night  prepare  us  for 
fresh  endeavor  and  quicken  courage  for  new  en- 
counters with  ills  that  shall  add  to  our  triumphs  and 
bring  more  praise  to  our  Redeemer.     Amen. 

Samuel  H.  Virgin. 


i22  M#Vil  29 


Leave  off  thinking  of  your  thoughts  and  feeling  of 
your  feelings. 

Anonymous. 


Regret  and  trust  do  not  go  together.  The  person 
who  weeps  over  a  dead  past  is  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses a  paralyzed  person.  It  is  impossible  to  live 
on  yesterday's  mistakes  and  enjoy  today's  blessings. 
The  first  step  in  the  process  is  to  stop  blaming  one's 
self.  The  past  is  dead.  Throw  the  cross  of  responsibility 
away.  Break  it,  repudiate  it  utterly  and  come  to  a 
closer  comprehension  of  the  love  of  God.  Rest  and 
trust.  The  kingdom  of  God  is  within  and  we  are  to  be 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  our  minds,  here  and 
now. 

Eleanor  Kirk. 


Heavenly  Father,  the  day  is  done.  Make  me 
grateful  for  all  it  has  contributed  to  my  welfare. 
Every  day  Thou  art  deepening  and  broadening  my  life 
by  some  new  way  in  which  Thou  dost  lead;  every  day 
there  is  added  power,  by  personal  experience  of  new 
things  revealed  to  me.  Help  me  never  to  look  back, 
except  it  be  to  bring  out  of  the  past  a  fresh  supply 
of  confidence  for  tomorrow's  work  and  play.  Help 
me  never  to  look  into  the  past  of  other  lives  unless 
it  be  to  cover  it  with  the  mantle  of  love,  as  I  would 
be  covered  by  Thee  this  night.  Help  me  to  grow  as 
the  clinging  vine  through  die  dark  and  through  the 
light.     Amen. 

Alfred  W.  H.  Hodder. 


ajml  30  123 


Launched  upon  ether  float  the  worlds  secure. 

Naught  hath  the  truthful  Maker  to  conceal. 

No  trestle-work  of  adamant  or  steel 
Is  that  high  firmament  where  these  endure. 
Patient,  majestic,  round  their  cynosure 

In  secular  procession  see  them  wheel; 

Self-poised,  but  not  self-centered,  for  they  feel 
In  each  tense  fibre  one  all-conquering  lure. 

And  need  I  fret  me,  Father,  for  that  Thou 
Dost  will  the  weightiest  verities  to  swing 
On  viewless  orbits  ?     Nay,  henceforth  I  cleave 

More  firmly  to  the  Credo;  and  my  vow 

With  readier  footstep  to   Thine  altar  bring, 
As  one  who  counts  it  wisdom  to  believe. 

William  Reed  Huntington. 

Our  Father  in  Heaven,  we  rejoice  that  the  world 
is  in  Thy  keeping  as  it  sweeps  forward  into  the  night. 
Thou  hast  marked  out  the  path  for  the  earth  which 
carries  Thy  children.  May  we  feel  that  the  journey 
into  the  night  is  ever  forward,  —  forward  to  the  rest 
by  which  Thou  givest  strength,  —  forward  to  the 
silent  inner  stirrings  which  tell  of  Thee,  —  forward 
to  the  breaking  of  Thy  new  day.  If  the  night  shall 
bring  long  anxiety,  or  troubled  restlessness,  or  pained 
questionings,  may  we  feel  that  even  these  are  bearing 
us  onward  and  forward.  We  thank  Thee  for  Him 
who  willingly  travelled  into  the  night,  and  who  found 
in  the  darkness  of  Gethsemane  the  light  which  makes 
the  cross  glorious.  May  we  think  of  Him  as  we 
fall  asleep,  and  pray  for  His  spirit  as  we  awake.  Amen. 

Frank  J.  McConnell. 


i24  JHag  l 


Shall  we  know  in  the  hereafter 

All  the  reasons  that  are  hid? 

Does  the  butterfly  remember  what  the  caterpillar  did  ? 

How  he  waited,  toiled  and  suffered 

To  become  a  chrysahd? 

When  we  creep  so  slowly   upward; 
When  each  day  new  burden  brings; 
When  we  strive  so  hard  to  conquer 
Vexing  sublunary  things; 
When  we  wait  and  toil  and  suffer, 
We  are  working  for  our  wings. 

Danske  Dandridge. 


O  Lord,  our  Heavenly  Father,  in  whom  we  live 
our  life,  keep  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  in  the  con- 
fidence of  Thy  tenderness  and  care.  Help  us  to 
enter  into  the  uncertainties  of  tomorrow  in  the  spirit 
in  which  we  enter  into  the  uncertainties  of  the  night, 
committing  ourselves  to  Thee,  setting  anxiety  aside, 
trusting  in  Thy  protection.  Give  us  tranquillity  of 
mind  and  serenity  of  soul.  On  we  go,  O  loving 
Father,  led  by  Thee,  holding  Thy  hand,  into  such 
places  and  along  such  ways  as  Thou  in  Thy  wisdom 
doth  appoint.  Surely,  goodness  and  mercy  shall 
follow  us  all  our  days,  and  we  shall  come  into  the 
peace  which  passeth  understanding.  These  blessings, 
for  ourselves  and  for  all  for  whom  we  ought  to  pray, 
we  humbly  ask  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  Our 
Lord.     Amen. 

George  Hodges. 


JHag  2  125 


The  instant  you  perceive  the  arising  of  the  mark- 
of-the-beast  tendency,  drown  it  with  high  thoughts. 
If  you  feel  the  tendency  to  be  angry,  mean,  selfish, 
sensual,  instantly  affirm,  with  a  Godward  uplifting 
of  your  inmost  soul,  the  opposite  —  gentleness,  integrity, 
moral  purpose,  nobleness.  Think  intensely  into  them, 
and  these  principles  will  be  found  to  have  a  creative 
power;  a  potency  which  scatters  the  lower  impulses 
as  the  sunshine  scatters  the  night-birds,  and  which 
builds  up  the  spiritual  life,  the  true  ego,  the  Divine 
Sonship,  the  mark  of  the  King. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


Giver  of  all  life,  —  Giver  of  my  life-gift  !  Not 
breath  nor  days  do  reveal  Thy  intent  in  the  gift, 
but  in  my  soul's  power  to  return  to  Thee,  day  by 
day,  to  find  eternal  life  in  knowing  Thee  and  Jesus, 
the  Christ  whom  Thou  hast  sent,  who  came  that 
I  might  have  the  life  eternal  and  not  the  death  of 
sin.  Didst  Thou  need  me  ?  Then  a  thousand-fold 
more  do  I  need  Thee  !  Then  come,  Father  and 
Brother  !  Fulfil  thy  promise,  "  If  a  man  love  me, 
my  Father  will  love  him  and  we  will  come  and  abide 
with  him."  Come,  divine  Friends  !  Then  shall  all 
false  guests  depart  and  only  the  good  abide  with 
us;  so  shall  I  be  saved  from  my  enemies  and  find 
Thy  life  in  mine.     Amen. 

Randall  H.   Aldrich. 


i26  J*la»  3 


7/  this  great  world  of  joy  and  pain 

Revolve  in  one  sure  track; 
If  freedom,  set,  will  rise  again, 

And  virtue,  flown,   come   back; 
Woe  to  the  purblind  crew  who  fill 

The  heart  with  each  day's  care; 
Nor  gain,  from   past  or  future,  skill 

To  bear  and  to  forbear ! 

William  Wordsworth. 


O  Thou  eternal  and  universal  spirit  of  life  and 
whom  we  have  learned  to  call  our  Heavenly  Father, 
we  invoke  Thy  blessing  of  reassurance  upon  us  in 
this  retiring  hour.  Within  the  experiences  and 
activities  of  the  day  there  have  been  powerful  ex- 
amples of  Thy  presence  and  power  in  the  world, 
and  these  have  tended  to  strengthen  our  faith.  And 
yet  there  has  been  much  which  seemed  to  declare 
that  Thou  art  not,  and,  if  Thou  art,  that  Thou 
art  not  interested  in  and  active  on  our  account,  and 
this  has  tended  to  weaken  our  faith.  Help  us  to 
confirm  our  trust  in  Thine  infinite  wisdom  and  good- 
ness and  reality  by  enlarging  and  intensifying  our 
observations.  May  we  see  to  what  extent  good 
outrivals  evil  and  find  in  the  right  the  great  reward 
of  greater  faith.     Amen. 

John  Evans. 


ittag  4 127 

Take  all  away  from  me 
But  leave  me  ecstasy, 
And  I   am   richer  then 
Than  all  my  fellow-men. 
Is  it  becoming  me 
To  dwell  so  wealthily, 
When   at  my  very  door 
Are  those  possessing  more 
In  abject  poverty  ? 

Emily  Dickinson. 

A  great  deal  of  life  is  lost  in  getting  ready,  as  is 
commonly  believed,  to  live.  To  scorn  delights  and 
live  laborious  days;  to  bind  one's  self  to  an  unceasing 
and  unchanging  routine,  as  Ixion  to  his  wheel,  for 
thv  sake  of  amassing  money  that  some  time,  in  a  dim 
and  abstract  future,  one  may  begin  to  live,  is  simply 
to  attempt  building  a  superstructure  without  a  foun- 
dation. 

Lilian  Whiting. 


Once  again,  Heavenly  Father,  we  bow  before 
Thee  with  a  prayer  upon  our  lips.  We  have  tried 
to  live  this  day  with  Thee.  Thou  knowest,  even 
better  than  we,  how  far  we  have  failed  or  succeeded 
in  our  endeavor,  for  Thou  hast  taken  account  both 
of  our  weakness  and  our  strength.  Grant,  however, 
that  our  life  today  shall  not  have  been  entirely  without 
some  influence  for  good.  Let  Thy  benediction  rest 
upon  us  through  the  darkness  of  tonight,  and  bring 
us  to  the  awakening  of  another  day  with  strength 
for  its  tasks  and  courage  to  meet  its  responsibilities. 
Amen. 

Orin   Edson   Crooker. 


i28  jWag  5 


Come,  Angel  Sleep,  come  Angel  Sleep, 
And  kiss  mine  eyelids  to  repose  ! 

Thy  gentle  watch  above  me  keep, 
Till  I  forget  my  woes, 
My  weariness  and  woes  ! 

Spread  now  thy  soothing  wings  abroad! 
Beneath  their  shadow  pain  shall  cease; 

To  all  the  weary  rest  accord, 
And  wrap  the  world  in  peace, 
The  slumbering  world  in   peace  ! 

Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 


Through  the  hours  of  the  day  Thy  mercies  have 
been  our  portion,  Thy  strength  our  support.  Thy 
joy  has  touched  our  lives  in  the  beauty  of  the  sun 
and  rain,  the  sweet  fragrance  of  flowers,  and  voices 
of  children,  in  the  sacredness  of  our  homes,  the  ties 
of  friendship,  the  labor  and  toil  which  win  our  daily 
bread.  Now  when  we  are  to  enter  into  the  rest  of 
the  night,  continue  Thou  Thy  watch  over  us,  renew 
within  us  the  forces  of  life  through  peaceful  sleep, 
but  if  hours  of  wakefulness  come  to  us,  temper  them 
with  the  thought  of  Thy  presence  and  Thy  care, 
and  bring  us  to  the  dawn  ready  and  glad  to  serve 
and  love  and  live.     Amen. 

Mary  Grace   Canfield. 


JHaj?  6  129 


One  hour,  we  are  alone  before  God,  and  the  souVs 
grasp  stretches  out  toward  the  Infinite.  All  that  befalls 
or  may  befall  it,  then  seems  great,  momentous.  We 
sleep,  —  we  rise,  —  we  are  our  petty  selves  again  — 
presences  and  voices  come  about  that  call  us  back  into 
our  superficial  round,  —  and,  underneath,  for  weal 
or  woe,  the  silenced  tide  of  our  real  being  surges  onward 
—  whither  ?  So  the  great  earth  whereon  we  dwell 
wears  its  crust  of  hills  and  plains  and  cities  above  its 
everlasting  fires. 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


Father,  to  Thee  I  come,  a  child  weary  with  the 
day,  its  toys,  and  cares.  Hold  me  near  and  close, 
until  I  rest  and  forget  all,  but  the  comfort  of  Thy 
love,  the  forgiveness  of  Thy  compassion.  O  Thou, 
who  telleth  the  number  of  the  stars  and  calleth  them 
all  by  their  names,  give  me  to  know  when  Thou 
calleth  my  name,  and  strengthen  me  to  answer  and 
obey.  Help  me,  Father,  to  give  myself  trustingly  to 
sleep.  When  Thou  calleth  me  from  the  unconscious 
hours,  may  I  awake  with  the  sweet  assurance  Thou, 
God,  seest  me,  and  in  that  uplift  of  spirit  live  out 
Thy  life  in  me,  even  as  the  blessed  Master,  Christ 
Amen. 
William  H.  Rider. 


i3o Jflag  7 

There's  many  a  rest  on   the  road  of  life, 

If  we  only  would  stop  to  take  it, 

And  many  a  tone  from   the   better  land, 

If  the  querulous  heart  would  wake  it: 

To  the  sunny  soul  that   is   full   of  hope, 

And  whose  beautiful  trust   ne'er  faileth, 

The  grass  is  green,   and  the  flowers  are  bright, 

Though  the  wintry  storm   prevaileth. 

Better  to  weave  in   the  web  of  life, 

A   bright  and  golden   filling, 

And  to  do   God's  will  with   a  ready  heart, 

And  hands  that  are  swift  and  willing, 

Than  to  snap  the  delicate  silver  thread 

Of  our  curious  life  asunder, 

And  then  heaven  blame  for  the  tangled  ends, 

And  sit  and  grieve  and  wonder. 

Faber. 


Dear  Lord  and  Father  of  us  all,  we  would  close 
the  day  with  gratitude  for  all  the  great  and  innumer- 
able blessings  which  its  passing  moments  have 
brought  to  us.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  fresh  oppor- 
tunity which  this  day  has  brought  for  labor  and 
service.  We  rejoice  that  we  have  been  able  to  take 
even  a  small  part  in  the  work  of  the  world.  The 
toil  of  midday  has  prepared  us  to  enjoy  the  rest  of 
the  evening.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  sheltering  love 
of  the  home  with  all  its  sweet  and  beautiful  sanctities; 
for  the  tender  ministries  of  precious  friends;  for 
inspiring  books,  enriching  Nature,  and  cheering 
memories.  Grant,  dear  Father,  that  we  may  close 
the  day  with  tender  and  thankful  hearts.  Amen. 
Joseph  H.   Crooker. 


JHag  8  131 


How  beautiful  is  Night ! 

A  dewy  freshness  fills  the  air; 

No  mist  obscures,  nor  cloud,  nor  speck,  nor  stain 

Breaks  the  serene  of  heaven: 

In  full  orbed  glory,  yonder  moon   divine 

Rolls  through  the  dark-blue  depths. 

Beneath  her  steady  ray 

The  desert-circle  spreads, 

Like  the  round  ocean,  girdled  with  the  sky, 

How  beautiful  is  night. 

R.  Southey. 


Our  gracious  God,  father  of  all  Mercies,  before 
whom  noontime  and  midnight  are  as  one,  we 
thank  Thee  for  the  welcome  night  to  which  our 
weary  footsteps  have  been  directed.  Guide  us  ever, 
we  beseech  Thee,  amid  the  affairs  of  life  that  we  may 
not  lose  the  path  nor  stumble  on  the  lonely  way, 
but  that  we  like  Thy  servant  of  old  may  finish  our 
course  with  joy  and  in  acceptance  be  gathered  to 
Thee  above.      Amen. 

William   Wallace  Iliffe. 


i32  J**a»  y 


In  wonder  workings,  or  some  bush  aflame, 
Men  look  for  God,  and  fancy  Him  concealed; 
But  in   earth's  common  things  He  stands  revealed, 
While  grass  and  flowers  and  stars  spell  out  his  name. 

The  paradise  men  seek,  the  city  bright 
That  gleams  beyond  the  stars  for  longing  eyes, 
Is  only  human  goodness  in  the  skies. 
Earth's  deeds,  well  done,  glow  into  heavenly  light. 

Minot  J.  Savage. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  as  the  shadows  lengthen 
and  the  night  comes  on,  we  draw  near  unto  Thee  in 
whom  is  no  darkness  at  all.  Thou  usherest  in  the 
morning  and  spreadest  the  curtains  of  evening. 
Thou  art  revealed  in  the  splendors  of  the  noontide 
and  made  manifest  in  the  glories  of  the  night.  We 
bow  before  the  wonders  of  Thy  majesty.  We  wor- 
ship Thee  revealed  in  all  Thy  creative  power.  We 
rear  a  palace  and  we  pray  each  stone  may  be  a  golden 
deed  to  shine  as  do  the  stars.  This  night,  Our  Father, 
restore  our  strength,  refresh  our  spiritual  powers, 
and  give  us  grace  to  build  tomorrow  more  truly 
than  before.  And  when  the  palace  is  completed, 
when  our  earthly  day  is  done,  may  there  be  no  evening 
shadows,  no  darkness,  but  the  morning  and  the 
land  where  Christ  Himself  is  sun.     Amen. 

Leon  H.   Austin. 


Jflaj?  10  133 


Is  it  not  sad  to  grow  old?  Say  rather  that  it  is  a 
very  difficult  art,  and  one  which  few  men  have  ever 
acquired.  .  .  .  To  grow  old  is  sad  indeed  if  what 
you  want  is  to  hold  back  the  receding  years,  to  keep 
your  hair  from  growing  white,  your  eyes  from  becoming 
dim,  and  the  wrinkles  from  chiseling  their  way  across 
your  brow.  One  of  the  most  beautiful  things  in  the 
world  is  an  old  person  who,  made  better  by  experience, 
more  indulgent,  more  charitable,  loves  mankind  in 
spite  of  its  wretchedness  and  adores  youth  without  the 
slightest  tendency  to  mimic  it.  Such  a  person  is  like 
an  old  Stradivarius  whose  tone  has  become  so  sweet 
that  its  value  is  increased  a  hundred-fold,  and  it  seems 
almost  to  have  a  soul. 

Charles  Wagner. 


Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  day  and 
its  experiences.  It  has  been  blessed  because  re- 
ceived as  a  token  from  Thee.  The  morning  hath 
its  glorious  promise,  the  noon-day  its  encircling 
loveliness,  the  evening  its  blissful  repose.  May  we 
so  accept  our  life  from  Thee  that  the  glory  of  its 
morning  promise  may  be  illumined  by  the  noon-day 
and  glorified  at  the  gathering  twilight  with  its  thankful 
retrospect  and  its  gilded  prospect.  To  Thy  parental 
arms  we  entrust  ourselves.  If  we  wake  to  another 
earthly  morn,  may  the  day  be  spent  to  Thy  glory 
and  service.  If  we  wake  to  a  morn  in  the  great 
Eternity  we  are  still  with  Thee,  and  with  Thee  there 
is  life  and  joy  and  peace.    Amen. 

F.  A.  Dillingham. 


i34  JHa»  11 


We  are  the  mariners,  and  God  the, sea, 

And  though  we  make  false  reckonings,   and  run 
Wide  of  a  righteous  course,   and  are   undone, 

Out  of  his  deeps  of  love  we  cannot  be. 
For  by  those  heavy  strokes  we  misname   ill, 

Through   the  fierce  fire   of  sin,   through   tempering 
doubt, 
Our  natures  more  and  more  are  beaten  out, 

To  perfecter  reflections  of  his  will ! 

Alice  Cary. 


As  sailors  upon  the  boundless  deep,  we  are  helpless, 
O  God,  without  Thee.  Temper  to  us  the  storms  and 
the  winds  that  we  be  not  carried  far  out  of  our  course. 
And  while  tossed  by  the  tempests  of  doubt  and  per- 
plexity, may  we  never  forget  Thee,  our  Pilot  of  strong 
hand  and  sure  knowledge.  This  night  as  we  lie 
down  to  sleep,  may  rest  come  to  us  and  to  all  who 
are  driven  hard.  May  the  remembrance  of  other 
lives  that  have  learned  of  Thy  strength  and  Thy 
love,  not  in  the  fair  days  of  favoring  winds,  but  only 
in  the  seasons  of  cloud  and  gale,  bring  to  us  assurance. 
With  fearless  trust  help  each  one  of  us  to  look  forward 
to  the  great  haven  to  which  Thou  art  guiding,  be- 
lieving that  "  no  harm  from  Thee  can  come  to  me, 
on  ocean  or  on  shore."    Amen. 

Virgil  V.  Johnson. 


J«a»  12  135 


The  way  is  dark,  my  Father!    cloud  on  cloud 
Is  gathering  quickly  o'er  my  head;    and  loud 
The  thunders  roar  above  me.       See,  I  stand 
Like. one  bewildered.       Father,  take  my  hand, 
And  through  the  gloom  lead  safely  home  Thy  child. 

The  way  is  dark,  my  child,  but  leads  to  light; 
I  would  not  have  thee  always  walk  by  sight. 
My  dealings  now  thou  canst  not  understand; 
I  meant  it  so;    but  I  will  take  thy  hand 
And  through  the  gloom  lead  safely  home  My  child. 

Henry  N.  Cobb. 


Heavenly  Father,  how  the  lights  and  shadows 
alternate  in  our  lives  !  One  day  we  stanl  upon  the 
Mount  of  Transfiguration,  another  we  walk  sorrow- 
fully in  some  valley  of  despair.  One  day  we  stand 
erect  and  triumphant  in  the  midst  of  life's  great  battle- 
field, another  we  lie  defeated  and  bleeding  on  some 
field  of  humiliation  when  we  have  scarcely  fought 
at  all.  One  day  there  is  an  open  way  between  our- 
selves and  Thee,  while  the  angels  come  and  go, 
another  we  have  lost  our  Divine  communications, 
the  night  comes  on  and  it  is  dark  because  we  have 
tried  to  go  alone.  O  Father,  now,  with  pride  all 
gone,  we  know  we  cannot  see  the  way  alone.  Take 
our  hands  and  lead  us  home.    Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


136  JHag  13 


When  the  tide  has  been  coming  iny  I  have  often  seen 
how  it  chafed  and  fretted,  running  into  some  narrow- 
mouthed  bay,  filling  it,  swirling  round,  and  lapping 
up  on  the  shores,  till  by  and  by,  still  flowing,  and 
flowing,  and  flowing,  it  filled  the  bay  full.  The  tide 
had  spent  itself,  and  the  whole  bay  at  last  was  at  rest. 
And  so  the  soul,  while  yet  it  is  being  filled,  is  disturbed 
by  ripples  and  eddies;  but  by  and  by  when  it  shall 
have  been  filled  with  the  power  and  presence  of  God 
it  will  be  satisfied,  and  will  be  perfectly  at  peace,  and 
will  be  full  of  God. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Our  God  and  Father,  grant  us,  as  the  day  closes, 
the  sense  of  Thine  inflowing  presence.  We  have 
been  fretted  with  many  cares,  and  the  tide  of  Thy 
divine  love  has  sometimes  seemed  to  us  to  ebb  rather 
than  rise  in  our  hearts.  Help  us  to  realize  that,  not- 
withstanding all  obstructions,  Thou  art  seeking  to  fill 
us  with  Thyself,  and  that  if  we  will  but  hold  ourselves 
open  to  Thy  love,  Thou  wilt  sweep  over  all  that 
stands  in  the  way,  and  give  us  constantly  Thine 
own  perfect  peace.  May  the  very  God  of  peace 
sanctify  us  wholly,  and  our  whole  spirit  and  soul  and 
body  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.      Amen. 

A.  J.   Rowland. 


jWag  14 137 

Never  mini  a  change  of  scene  — 

Try  a  change  of  .thinking. 
What  if  things  seem  sordid,  mean, 

What's  the   use  of  blinking? 
Life's  not  always  storm  and  cloud. 

Somewhere  stars  are  shining. 
Try  to  think  your  joys  out  loud, 

Silence  all  repining. 

By  degrees,  by  thinking  light, 

Thinking  glad  and  sweetly, 
You'll  escape  the  stress  of  night, 

Worry  gone  completely. 
Get  the  habit  looking  for 

Sunbeams  pirouetting, 
Tapping  gayly  at  your  door  — 

Surest  cure  for  fretting. 

John  Kendrick  Bangs. 


Our  Father,  forgive  us  that  the  sense  of  Thy  loving 
care  is  not  always  with  us.  Forgive  the  doubt  and 
the  distrust.  Forgive  the  discontent  and  the  peevish- 
ness. Give  us  a  calm  heart,  not  too  wildly  moved  by 
passing  pleasures,  not  too  much  downcast  by  dis- 
appointment and  weariness.  Give  us  the  firm  assur- 
ance that  Thou  hast  a  plan  in  our  lives,  a  work  for 
us  to  do,  a  place  for  us  to  fill,  and  as  we  think  of  Thy 
providence  and  our  glad  duty,  may  the  little  worries 
become  small  to  our  opened  eyes.  Help  us  bravely 
to  bear  our  part  in  the  coming  of  Thy  kingdom  of 
righteousness  and  peace  and  joy,  and  find  the  deepest 
satisfactions  of  life  in  the  knowledge  of  something 
done  for  Thee  through  Thy  children.     Amen. 

Herbert  Welch. 


138  J**aff  15 


Our  birthright  is  in  the  boundless  resources  of  His 
self-existent  life.  Oh,  to  be  able  to  believe  it,  and  to 
live  it!  To  have  faith  in  God;  to  .know  that  there  is 
One  ever  enwrapping  us  —  wholly,  absolutely,  divinely 
responsible,  and  who  knows  all. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


God  is  continually  giving.  He  will  not  withhold 
from  you  or  me.  I  hold  up  my  little  cup.  He  fills  it 
full.  If  yours  is  greater,  rejoice  in  that,  and  bring  it 
faithfully  to  the  same  urn.  He,  who  fills  the  violet 
with  beauty  and  the  sun  with  light,  will  not  fail  to 
inspire  you  and  me.  Were  your  little  cup  to  become 
as  large  as  the  Pacific  Sea,  He  still  would  fill  it. 

Theodore  Parker. 


O  Thou,  who  art  the  giver  of  all  good  gifts.  Thou 
hast  not  withheld  from  Thy  children  the  Supreme 
Gift  of  Thyself.  When  the  morning  called  it  was 
with  the  vision  of  Thy  promise  and  the  evening  holds 
the  sweet  memory  of  Thy  bountiful  accomplishment. 
We  are  glad  to  know  that  the  multitude  of  our  pos- 
sessions and  our  activities  is  not  able  to  separate  us 
from  Thee,  but  may,  if  we  will,  bring  Thee  closer 
to  us.  And  our  prayer  is,  dear  Father,  that  in  the 
morrow  that  lies  beyond  the  curtain  of  this  night, 
Thou  mayest  help  us  to  accept  Thy  gifts  gratefully, 
to  live  our  lives  fully,  to  search  for  Thee  with  all  our 
hearts,  and  to  serve  humanity  with  all  the  force  that 
comes  to  us,  filled  with  peace  and  strength  because 
we  know  we  serve  with  Thee.    Amen. 

Pliny  A.   Allen. 


JHag  10  139 


Do  not  look  for  wrong  and  evil  — - 

You  will  find  them  if  you  do; 
As  you  measure  for  your  neighbor 

He  will  measure  back  to  you. 

Look  for  goodness,  look  for  gladness, 
You  will  meet  them  all  the  while; 

If  you  bring  a  smiling  visage 
To  the  glass,  you  meet  a  smile. 

Alice  Cary. 

Good  comes  to  pass 
We  know  not  when  nor  how,  for,  looking  to 
What  seemed  a  barren  waste,  there  starts  to  view 

Some  bunch  of  grass, 
Or  snarl  of  violets,  shining  with  the  dew. 

Alice  Cary. 

Our  Father,  as  the  day  ends  we  rejoice  that  Thy 
goodness  has  been  about  us  so  abundantly.  Beyond 
our  deserving  we  have  received  the  joys  of  life  and 
labor  of  love.  We  humbly  confess  that  our  doing 
has  been  outrun  by  our  dream  and  our  desire,  but 
we  pray  that  new  days  may  bring  us  a  little  nearer 
to  the  goal  of  our  hopes.  Help  us  to  forget  the  day's 
fret  and  pain  and  to  remember  only  their  lessons  of 
patience  and  courage  and  hope.  We  thank  Thee  for 
the  gift  of  ease  after  toil,  and  may  we  go  to  rest  like 
children  who  take  life's  gifts  joyously  but  find  the 
shelter  of  parental  arms  the  dearest  joy  of  all.  Hear 
us  in  Thy  great  love.     Amen. 

Effie  McCollum  Jones. 


14©  JHa»  17 


//  is  not  in  prayer  only  that  the  soul  approaches 
Go  J,  for  it  ts  draivn  nigher  Him  by  all  the  higher 
objects  it  turns  to.  If  a  poet  will  sing  his  noblest 
strain,  it  is  into  the  ear  of  God  he  does  it,  if  an  architect 
will  build  in  his  sublimest  manner,  it  is  a  house  for 
God  he  makes.  And  every  earnest  movement  of  the 
mind  is  upwards,  and  to  God,  making  us  sure  of  the 
Divine  Presence. 

MOUNTFORD. 


As  some  rare  perfume  in  a  vase  of  clay 

Pervades  it  with  a  fragrance  not  its  own, 
So,  when  Thou  dwellest  in  a  mortal  soul, 
All  heaven's  own  sweetness  seems  around  it  thrown. 

Abide  in  me!      There  have  been  moments  blest, 
When  I  have  heard  Thy  voice  and  felt  Thy  power; 

Then  evil  lost  its  grasp;    and   passion,  hushed, 
Owned  the  divine  enchantment  of  the  hour. 

These  were  but  seasons,  beautiful  and  rare: 
Abide  in  me,  and  they  shall  ever  be! 

Fulfill  at  once  Thy  precept  and  my  prayer: 
Come,  and  abide  in  me,  and  I  in  Thee  1 

Harriet  Beecher  Stowe. 


J**3£  18  141 


"  /  simply  don't  know  what  to  do  with  myself  when 
the  wind  is  from  the  east"  complained  a  nervous 
invalid.  "  Well,  you  cant  stop  the  wind,"  replied 
the  practical  physician,  "  but  you  surely  can  get  into 
a  cozy  south  room  as  far  away  from  it  as  possible,  and 
find  some  pleasant  employment."  The  simple  bit  of 
advice  is  as  good  for  the  soul  as  for  the  body.  There 
are  east  winds  of  gloom  and  unrest  that  will  not  down 
at  command,  but  we  can  learn  to  retreat  into  some 
south  corner  of  sunny  memories  or  cheerful  occupation 
until  they  pass. 

J.  R.  Miller. 


Father  of  my  spirit,  in  the  darkness  that  surrounds 
me  I  would  know  that  in  Thee  no  darkness  is.  No 
chilling  blasts,  only  warmth  and  sunshine  to  the  soul 
that  opens  to  Thee.  Make  me  conscious  of  this  fact, 
O  God,  that  I  may  flee  to  the  upper  room  of  my  being, 
open  the  window  toward  Thee  where  the  hushed 
stillness  and  sweet  peace  are  never  disturbed  by  the 
winds  of  adversity,  and  where  Thy  voice  is  saying 
"  Come  unto  me;  I  am  thy  health,  thy  light,  thy 
peace,  thy  life  and  thy  salvation."    Amen. 

Abbie  E.   Danforth. 


i42  J**ag  19 


Lord  of  my  waiting  soul,  Thou  Saviour  dear, 

Why  should  I  longer  doubt,  what  shall  I  fear? 

Come  dwell  with  me,  forever  be  my  guest, 

That  I  may  share  Thy  toil  and  know  Thy  rest. 

Thou  showest  me  a  foregleam  of  the  day, 

To  cheer  my  drooping  heart  and  light  my  way. 

Even  though  the  path  I  cannot  plainly  see, 

Through  the  drear  wilderness  I  follow  Thee. 

Thou  every  erring  step  wilt  guide  aright 

Till  night  is  gone  and  I  behold  the  light. 

Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 


O  Lord,  guard  and  keep  us,  we  pray  Thee,  through- 
out the  coming  night.  Grant  to  us  refreshment  of 
body  and  of  mind,  that  we  may  awaken  with  in- 
creased powers  to  serve  Thee  and  our  fellow-men. 
Teach  us  that  as  Thou  art  with  us  through  the  night 
as  well  as  the  day,  so  Thou  wilt  also  guide  us  through 
the  darkness  of  perplexity,  of  sorrow  and  of  doubt. 
So  may  we  find  in  Thee  our  light  and  strength  and 
courage;  may  we  know  Thy  peace  which  passeth 
understanding,  and  may  our  lives  bring  hope  and 
gladness  to  all  with  whom  we  have  to  do. 

In  the  name  of  Christ  we  ask  it.    Amen. 

Mary  Danforth  Dodge. 


JHa£  20  143 


To  live,  to  live,  is  life's  great  joy,  —  to  feel 
The  living  God  within,  —  to  look  abroad 

And,  in  the  beauty  that  all  things  reveal, 
Still  meet  the  living  God. 

Robert  Leighton. 


Give  me,  0   God,  to  sing  this  thought, 

Belief  in   plan  of  Thee  enclosed  in   Time  and  Space, 

Health,  Peace,  Salvation   Universal, 

Is  it  a  dream  ? 

Nay,  but  the  lack  of  it  the  dream, 

And  falling  it  life's  love  and  wealth  a  dream, 

And  all  the  world  a  dream. 

Walt  Whitman. 


O  God,  who  art  forever  life,  —  life  for  us  today, 
but  also  life  for  every  day  of  memory  or  of  hope, 
we  bless  Thy  name  for  these  hours  now  sinking  into 
shadow,  and  for  their  privilege  of  life  with  Thee. 
May  rest  and  sleep  be  also  life.  If  we  have  failed 
today,  may  it  be  for  gain  tomorrow;  if  we  have 
borne  the  Cross,  may  we  remember  the  Crown;  if 
faces  come  to  us  in  dreams,  may  they  smile  on  us 
in  love  and  peace,  and  bring  the  unutterable  joy  of 
the  welcome  which  Thou  hast  given  them  and  which 
Thou  wilt  not  deny  to  us.    Amen. 

Edwin   C.   Bolles. 


i44  J**a»  21 


At  first  I  prayed  for  Light :  — 
Could  I  but  see  the  way, 
How  gladly,  swiftly  would  I  walk 
To  everlasting  day  ! 

And  then  I  prayed  for  Faith: 
Could  I  but  trust  my  God, 
I'd  live  enfolded  in  His  peace, 
Though  foes  were  all  abroad. 

But  now  I  pray  for  Love  — 
Deep  love  to  God  and  man: 
A  living  love  that  will  not  fail, 
However  dark  His  plan: 

And  Light  and  Strength  and  Faith 
Are  opening  everywhere  ! 
God  only  waited  for  me  till 
I  prayed  the  larger  prayer. 

Ednah  Dow  Cheney. 

Holy  Father,  as  evening  closes  the  shutters  and 
draws  the  curtains,  I  seem  nearer  now  to  Thee.  The 
shadows  fold  me  closer  than  the  light.  Thou  hidest 
me,  I  hide  myself,  in  Thee.  Thou  lovest  me.  My 
heart  was  made  for  Thee.  There  surely  is  for  me 
no  hope  or  home  apart  from  Thee.  My  life  in 
Thee,  Thy  life  in  me,  is  hope  below  and  Heaven 
above.  My  psalm  and  my  prayer  are  brief  tonight. 
Thy  will  be  done.  I  trust  in  Thee,  assured  of  some 
better  thing  tomorrow.  Do  for  me  and  with  me,  O 
Father,  as  seemeth  good  to  Thee.    Amen. 

De  Loss  M.  Tompkins. 


JWag  22  145 

There  is  no  chance,  no  destiny,  no  fate 
Can  circumvent,  or  hinder,  or  control 
The  firm  resolve  of  a  determined  soul. 

Gifts  count  for   nothing;    will  alone  is  great; 

All  things  give  way  before  it  soon  or  late, 
What  obstacle  can  stay  the  mighty  force 
Of  the  sea-seeking  river  in   its  mighty  course, 

Or  cause  the  ascending  orb  of  day  to  wait? 

Each  well-born  soul  must  win  what  it  deserves. 

Let  the  fool  prate  of  luck.       The  fortunate 

Is  he  whose  earnest  purpose  never  swerves, 
Whose  slightest  action  or  inaction  serves 
The  one  great  aim. 

Why,  even  Death  stands  still, 

And  waits  an   hour  sometimes  for  such  a  will. 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 

Bountiful  Father  of  love  and  blessing,  we  thank 
Thee  for  life  and  light,  joy  and  hope,  friends  and 
faith.  We  thank  Thee  for  liberty,  the  privilege  of 
choice,  and  the  power  of  a  human  will.  We  thank 
Thee  for  flowers  and  fragrance  and  fruits  and  the 
limitless  charms  of  earth  and  sea  and  sky.  We  thank 
Thee,  Lord,  that  we  are  not  doomed  to  live  in  the 
heart  of  a  dull,  drab  earth,  where  all  the  sounds  are 
discords  and  all  the  voices  complainings  and  discon- 
tent and  despair;  and  we  pray  Thee  save  us  from 
the  blasphemy  of  fault-finding  in  God's  good  world. 
We  thank  Thee,  Lord,  for  beauty  and  harmony;  for 
food  and  raiment;  and  for  music  and  art  and  litera- 
ture and  little  children;  and  we  beseech  Thee,  keep 
us  grateful  and,  therefore,  humble.  Accept,  we  pray, 
the  service  we  have  tried  to  render  Thee  today, 
and  give  us  rest  in  Thy  care  tonight.     Amen. 

Ira   Landrith. 


146  Jtt'ag  23 

It  rests  with  us  whether  we  see  good  or  ill;  but  in 
order  that  we  may  see  as  much  as  possible,  let  us  be 
as  much  with,  and  of,  what  is  fine,  clean,  patient,  as 
we  can. 

Charles  M.  Skinner. 

Surely  this  must  be  a  divine  world  wherein  they 
succeed  best,  and  alone  have  permanent  success,  who 
with  most  utter  loyalty  follow  ideal  and  divine  ends; 
who  speak  truth  without  fear,  perform  duty  by  an 
inward  compulsion,  and  make  their  business  the  service 
of  humanity.  Who,  then,  shall  we  say  is  the  practical 
man  of  affairs,  whom  the  new  century  demands  as  its 
chosen  leader  and  helper  ?  It  is  the  upright,  outspoken, 
noble,  and  generous  gentleman,  the  friend  and  lover 
of  men,  co-worker  with  God. 

Charles  F.  Dole. 

Infinite  and  ever-loving  Father,  we  come  back  at 
the  close  of  the  day  to  tell  Thee  the  story  of  our  words 
and  deeds.  We  know  that  there  is  nothing  too  small 
or  commonplace  to  mention  for  Thy  hearing.  We 
ask  concerning  our  success  and  failure  and  Thou 
dost  answer  us,  reminding  us  that  in  so  far  as  we 
have  kept  with  Thee,  with  the  good  and  true,  we  have 
succeeded.  We  thank  Thee  that  Thou  judgest  our 
intentions  rather  than  our  achievements.  Grant  us 
now  forgiveness  for  those  words  and  deeds  which 
were  untrue  to  our  ideal.  Grant  us  strength,  after 
refreshing  sleep  to  pursue  our  onward  way,  and  may 
we  work  with  Thee  on  the  morrow  and  through 
all  the  days  that  are  to  come.  In  the  name  of  Him 
who  hath  loved  us  most  and  best,  Jesus  Christ,  Thy 
Son,  we  ask  it.     Amen. 

A.  Eugene  Bartlett. 


Jtfag  24  147 


/  stood  beneath  the  blazing  dome  of  night; 
My  spirit  shrank  within  me  at  the  sight; 
I  was  as  nothing,  yea,  the  earth  was  lost 
In  the  still  presence  of  that  mighty  host. 
Yet  heard  I  from  the  heavens  a  whisper  fall; 
"  Rejoice,  0  man,  thy  Father  made  them  all; 
A  child  of  God,  thyself,  a  god  shalt  be, 
Heir  of  the  riches  of  infinity." 

Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 


Abide  with  us,  our  Heavenly  Father,  for  it  is 
toward  evening,  and  the  day  is  far  spent.  The  stars 
twinkle  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  bringing  to  us 
their  shining  testimony  of  Thy  love.  We  do  not 
fear  to  be  alone  with  Thee  in  the  darkness,  for  the 
darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  Thee;  we 
do  not  tremble  at  the  thought  of  our  insignificance 
in  presence  of  the  immensity  of  the  Universe,  for 
Thou  hast  told  us  of  our  worth  to  Thee  and  hast 
promised  Thy  watch-care  over  us.  Give  to  us  the 
security  of  our  faith,  we  pray,  and  the  sense  of  our 
personal  value  to  Thee,  O  Thou  Giver  of  every 
good  and  of  every  perfect  gift.  Grant  peace  to  every 
fear-filled  spirit,  hope  to  the  despairing,  rest  to  the 
weary,  according  to  the  sympathy  and  love  of  Thy 
Fatherly  goodness.     Amen. 

Nehemiah  Boynton. 


148  ffl%£  25 


Be  like  the  bird,  that  halting  in  her  flight 

Awhile  on  boughs  too  slight, 
Feels  them  give  way  beneath  her,  and  yet  sings, 

Knowing  that  she  hath  wings. 

Victor  Hugo. 


Tour  relations  to  God  are  not  to  be  shaken  by  the 
fact  that  you  do  not  understand  His  providence.  On 
the  contrary,  when  the  path  is  rugged  and  the  night  is 
dark  —  and  very  dark  indeed  it  is  sometimes  —  cling 
all  the  closer  to  your  faith,  for  it  is  the  only  thing  under 
the  stars  that  can  give  you  help. 

George  H.  Hepworth. 


Father  of  the  night  as  of  the  day,  as  the  birdling 
nestles  under  the  wing  of  the  mother  bird  for  security 
from  all  harm,  so  would  we  seek  the  wing  of  Almighty 
protection  during  the  night  shadows,  for  we  know 
that  in  Thee  is  no  darkness  at  all.  We  thank  Thee 
for  the  recuperative  power  of  sleep,  and  we  pray 
that  its  repose  may  not  be  fretted  by  any  seeming 
mysteries  of  Thy  providence,  however  unsolvable 
or  painful  they  may  be  to  us,  because  we  know  that 
Thou  art  good,  infinitely  good,  unchangeably  good 
And  so  may  our  faith  never  falter  in  its  trust  in  Thee. 
Amen. 

Charles  P.   Nash. 


Dark,  tender-stepping  Night 
Oh,  let  me  pin  thy  flight, 
Whilst,  yielded  to  thy  will, 
The  whole  wide  earth  is  still! 

E'en  as  a  baby  lies 
With  wonder-smitten  eyes 
That  gaze  far,  far  away 
Where  golden  cloudlets  stray  — 

So  bear  me  on  thy  quest 
Through  the  dim  pensive  west, 
Until  the  west  be  east 
And  day  renew  her  feast ! 

Lead  me  where  nothing  mars 
The  splendor  of  the  stars. 
Oh,  let  me  roam  with  thee, 
Who  art  so  calm,  so  free  ! 

William  Struthers. 


We  come  to  Thee,  Our  Father,  at  the  close  of  this 
'lay,  to  again  thank  Thee  for  what  the  day  has  brought 
us.  Thou  art  the  cloud  by  day  and  the  pillar  of  fire 
at  night  —  so  that  we  can  always  see  Thee.  As  the 
child  comes  to  the  mother  to  find  rest  in  her  arms, 
we  come  to  Thee  with  faith  to  find  rest  in  Thine 
everlasting  arms,  and  hearing  the  word  Father  we 
sleep  in  peace  and  safety.  To  be  with  Thee  is  the 
thought  that  fills  our  hearts.  Just  with  Thee,  and  the 
clouds  disperse,  and  the  shadow  is  no  more  —  and 
the  darkness  is  indeed  Light  !  For  in  Thy  life  do 
we   see   light.      Amen. 

Caleb  E.   Fishek. 


so  Jtfas  27 


Faint  Heart,  fear  not !      The  path  you  dread 
And  shuddering  think  for  you   new-born, 

Is  worn  by  many  feet,  whose  tread 

Its  every  flower  knows,  its  every  thorn. 

Faint  Heart,  be  strong  !      The  eyes  that  smile, 
The  lips  that  call  to  you  each  day 

Some  common  greeting,  may  the  while 
Be  walking  cheerfully  your  hardest  way. 

Gertrude  Brooke  Hamilton. 


O  Lord,  the  hard-won  miles 
Have  worn  my  stumbling  feet: 

Oh,  soothe  me  with  thy  smiles, 
And  make  my  life  complete. 

The  thorns  were  thick  and  keen, 
Where'er  I  trembling  trod; 

The  way  was  long  between 
My  wounded   feet  and  God. 

Where  healing  waters  flow 
Do  Thou  my  footsteps  lead. 

My  heart  is  aching  so; 

Thy  gracious  balm  I  need. 


Amen. 


Paul  Laurence  Dunbar. 


Jttafi  28  151 

Some  murmur  when  their  sky  is  clear, 

And  wholly  bright  to  view, 
If  one  small  speck  of  dark  appear 

In  their  great  heaven  of  blue. 
And  some  with  thankful  love  are  filled, 

If  but  one  streak  of  light, 
One  ray  of  God's  good  mercy,  gild 

The  darkness  of  then  night. 

In  palaces  are  hearts  that  ask, 

In  discontent  and  pride, 
Why  life  is  such  a  dreary  task, 

And  all  good  things  denied: 
And  hearts  in  poorest  huts  admire 

How  love  has  in  their  aid 
(Love  that  not  ever  seems  to  tire) 

Such  rich  provision  made. 

Richard  Chenevix  Trench. 


O  Thou  who  knows  our  hearts,  read  Thou  aright  ! 
Forgive  the  thoughts  that  are  not  highest,  best  ! 
Forgive,  O  God,  and  help  us  to  be  strong  ! 
Pity  our  weakness,  guide  our  footsteps,  lest 
The  future  bring  only  remorse,  unrest; 
The  paths  we  tread  are  tortuous  and  long  — 
O  the  great  shadow  of  the  soul's  sad  night  ! 
'Tis  vain  to  question  why  our  deed  is  wrong, 
'Tis  hard  to  find  the  way  that  leads  to  light; 
But,  Thou,  our  God,  our  Father,  Guide,  and  Friend, 
When  all  our  human  power  seems  at  an  end, 
Reach  forth  Thy  hand  and  save  us  by  Thy  might! 

Amen. 

Louise  Winslow  Kidder. 


i52  M%&  29 


The  Lord  is  my  shepherd;    I  shall  not  want. 

He  maketh  me  to  he  down  in  green  pastures:  He 
leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters. 

He  restoreth  my  soul:  He  leadeth  me  in  the  paths 
of  righteousness  for  His  name's  sake. 

Tea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil:  for  Thou  art  with  me; 
Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff  they  comfort  me. 

Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in  the  presence 
of  mine  enemies:  Thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil; 
my  cup  runneth  over. 

Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life,  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  forever. 

Psalm  XXIII. 


O  Lord,  Thou  Shepherd  of  our  lives,  how  good  it 
is  to  throw  ourselves  upon  Thy  care.  We  have  tried 
to  live  alone  and  find  our  own  pasture,  only  to  be 
bruised  by  the  stones  and  torn  by  the  thorns.  If  we 
have  wandered  in  some  wilderness  today  with  tired 
feet  and  hungry  heart,  we  come  back  to  the  fold 
tonight.  Let  us  rest  in  the  consciousness  of  Thy  care. 
Tired  of  all  wandering,  let  us  go  with  Thee  when  the 
day  breaks  to  walk  in  green  pastures  beside  the  still 
waters.  Lead  us  in  paths  of  righteousness  for  Thy 
name's  sake.  And  though  our  way  be  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  we  will  not  fear,  for 
Thou  art  with  us.     Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


jfflag  30 153 

It  singetb  low  in  every  heart, 

We  hear  it,  each  and  all,  — 
A  song  of  those  who  answer  not, 

However  we  may  call; 
They  throng  the  silence  of  the  breast, 

We  see  them  as  of  yore,  — 
The  kind,  the  brave,  the  true,  the  sweet, 

Who  walk  with  us  no  more ! 

'Tis  hard  to  take  the  burden  up, 

When  these  have  laid  it  down; 
They  brightened  all  the  joy  of  life, 

They  softened  every  frown; 
But  oh,  'tis  good  to  think  of  them, 

When  we  are  troubled  sore  ! 
Thanks  be  to  God  that  such  have  been, 

Though  they  are  here  no  more  ! 

More  homelike  seems  the  vast  unknown, 

Since  they  have  entered  there; 
To  follow  them  were  not  so  hard, 

Wherever  they  may  fare; 
They  cannot  be  where  God  is  not, 

On  any  sea  or  shore; 
Whatever  betides,  Thy  love  abides, 

Our  God,  for  evermore  ! 

J.  W.  Chadwick. 


Father,  in  this  great  trust  let  us  work,  let  us  wait, 
let  us  be  patient,  let  us  be  cheerful,  and  with  the  words 
ringing  in  our  ears,  "  And  death  shall  be  no  more," 
let  us  press  on  to  that  fulness  of  life  that  waits  Thy 
children  forever.     Amen. 

Minot  J.   Savage. 


i54  JH*£  31 


There  is  no  calm  like  that  when  storm  is  done; 
There  ts  no  pleasure  keen  as  pains  release: 
There  is  no  joy  that  lies  so  deep  as  peace, 

No  peace  so  deep  as  that  by  struggle  won. 

Helen  Gray  Cone. 


/  do  not  know  when  or  how  it  may  please  God  to 
give  you  the  quiet  of  mind  that  you  need;  but  I  tell 
you  I  believe  it  is  to  be  had,  and,  in  the  meantime,  you 
must  go  on  doing  your  work,  trusting  in  God  even 
for  this.  Tell  Him  to  look  at  your  sorrow,  ask  Him 
to  come  and  set  it  right,  making  the  joy  go  up  in  your 
heart  by  His  presence. 

George  Macdonald. 


Heavenly  Father,  make  us  to  feel  Thy  presence 
tonight  as  the  touch  of  a  loving  hand,  and  to  hear 
Thy  voice  as  the  voice  of  our  dearest  friend;  and 
may  we  realize  that  Thou  art  as  near  as  the  light  we 
see  and  the  air  we  breathe.  Help  us,  our  Father, 
that  we  may  pray  aright  for  the  things  that  are  most 
needful  to  us,  for  a  humble  spirit,  a  patient  heart, 
yet  strong  and  resolute  to  do  the  daily  duty.  We 
ask  Thy  blessing  upon  us,  let  it  descend  upon  us  as 
the  rain  falls  upon  the  fields,  and  let  us  sleep  peace- 
fully in  the  thought  that  as  the  new  day  opens  upon 
us  we  may  wake  full  of  faith,  hope  and  love,  strong 
for  another  day  of  duty.  Amen. 
Joshua  Young. 


3nnt  l  155 


/  hunted  Heaven  everywhere, 

I  blindly  sought  for  solace  sweet, 

While  shyly  peeping   unaware, 
Meek  daisies   nestled  at  my  feet. 

I  cried  aloud  for  hint  of  God, 
Telling  my  beaded  baubles  o'er, 

While  from  the   quick  womb  of  the  sod, 
Glad  roses   climbed  to   deck  my  door. 

Robert  Loveman. 


Happiness  rarely  is  absent.  It  is  we  that  know  not 
of  its  presence.  The  greatest  felicity  avails  us  nothing 
if  we  know  not  that  we  are  happy. 

Maurice  Maeterlinck. 

O  Heart  of  love  that  keeps  the  world  from  sinking 
in  despair,  to  Thee  we  come  tonight.  Thou  dost 
flood  the  world  with  light,  shining  upon  the  evil  and 
the  good.  We  celebrate  Thy  compassion:  we  adore 
Thine  eternal  goodness.  O  gracious  and  impartial 
love,  let  us  know  some  measure  of  it  in  our  own  life, 
that  we  shall  not  too  closely  scrutinize  our  blessings, 
whither  they  tend,  and  though  the  land  in  which 
we  travel  be  like  a  garden,  and  the  portion  that  is 
ours  be  goodly  and  rich,  let  us  from  the  midst  of 
Thy  mercies  wait  for  Thee  as  those  that  wait  and 
watch  for  the  morning,  and  seek  Thee  as  those  that 
are  hungry  after  God.    Amen. 

Thomas  R.   Slicer. 


156  3UM  2 


Like  a  blind  spinner  in  the  sun, 

I  tread  my  days; 
I  know  that  all  the  threads  will  run 

Appointed  ways; 
I  know  each  day  will  bring  its  task, 
And  being  blind,  no  more,  I  ask. 

But  listen,  listen,  day  by  day, 

To  hear  their  tread 
Who  bear  the  finished  web  away, 

And  cut  the  thread, 
And  bring  God's  message  in   the  sun, 
Thou  poor  blind  spinner,  work  is  done." 

Helen  Hunt  Jackson. 


We  thank  Thee,  Father,  that  we  are  all  spinners 
and  weavers,  too,  of  the  web  of  life,  and  may  the 
daily  prayer  of  our  daily  work  always  be  "  Thy  will, 
not  ours,  be  done."  Forbid  that  it  should  ever  be 
anything  else,  forbid  that  we  should  in  any  way  seek 
to  change  Thy  appointed  ways  of  life's  threads. 
Deliver  us  from  all  blindness.  Clarify  and  intensify, 
and  broaden  and  deepen  our  vision  and  may  we  see 
and  feel  and  know  that  like  the  great  Master's,  our 
mission  is  not  to  destroy  or  in  any  way  mar  the  divine 
web,  but  to  fulfill  it  according  to  Thy  immutable 
purpose.  And  having  done  all,  to  stand  listening 
and  hearing  Thy  Fatherly  commendation — "Well 
done,  good  and  faithful  spinners,  enter  into  the  joy 
and  rest  and  peace  of  good  work  faithfully  accom- 
plished."    Amen. 

I.    P.    CODDINGTON. 


Sttue  3  157 


Come  to  me,  come  to  me,  0  my  God ! 

Come  to  me  everywhere  ! 
Let  the  trees  mean  Thee,  and  the  grassy  sod, 

And  the  water  and  the  air  ! 

George  Macdonald. 


There  is  a  darkness  that  comes  of  effulgence;  and 
the  most  veiling  of  all  veils  is  the  light.  That  for 
which  the  eye  exists  is  light,  but  through  light  no 
human  eye  can  pierce.  I  find  myself  beyond  my  depth. 
I  am  ever  beyond  my  depth,  afloat  in  an  infinite  sea; 
but  the  depth  of  the  sea  knows  me,  for  the  ocean  of  my 
being  is  God. 

George  Macdonald. 


O  Thou  who  coverest  Thyself  with  light  as  with 
a  garment,  and  in  whom  is  no  darkness  at  all,  illumine 
us  by  Thy  spirit,  that  we  may  walk  always  in  the 
light.  Thou  dwellest  in  a  light  which  no  man  can 
approach  unto,  but  art  not  far  away  from  any  of  us. 
In  the  glory  of  the  day  we  have  found  Thee;  we 
would  find  Thee  also  in  the  shadows  of  the  night. 
Let  the  darkness  never  hide  Thee  from  us.  May 
every  night  shine  as  the  day.  The  darkness  and  the 
light  are  both  alike  to  Thee.  May  they  be  to  us 
co-equal  witnesses  of  Thine  unfailing  love,  every 
day  uttering  speech  and  every  night  showing  knowl- 
edge, until  our  souls  are  at  last  prepared  for  the 
unfading  splendor  of  the  Eternal  Morning.     Amen. 

Charles  E.  Jefferson. 


158  3UM  4 


0  Lord,  Thou  art  my  West,  my  peaceful,  restful 
West !  The  same  glad  light  that  made  my  morning 
sky  all  radiant  with  hope  and  beauty,  now  turns  to 
■rose  and  gold,  the  sombre  clouds  of  evening.  The  day 
is  done  and  it  was  good,  in  spite  of  toil  and  tears,  of 
struggles  and  failure,  and  of  hope  deferred;  the  toil 
is  turned  to  rest,  the  tears  to  smiles  of  trust;  the  struggles 
have  brought  me  strength,  failures  have  shown  me 
wisdom,  and  hope,  deferred,  unveils  to  me  her  heart 
of  peace.  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep  without  a  single 
fear,  for  morning  follows  night  and  a  new  and  better 
day  is  on  the  way  to  me  !  My  West  !  0  Holy  West, 
my  bark  glides  softly  towards  Thy  golden  bars.  The 
softening  light  enfolds  me  like  a  bath  of  balm;  the 
twilight  gently  touches  every  sense.  I  rest,  I  sleep; 
I  rest,  I  sleep. 

Minnie  S.  Davis. 


Thou,  whose  love  encircles  the  heavens,  accept 
our  prayer  as  an  evening  sacrifice.  We  come, 
changed  in  character  by  the  trials  and  successes  in 
another  day.  Through  its  burden  and  heat  we  have 
worked  in  Thy  vineyard.  Its  material  gains  we  hold 
as  Thy  stewards.  Receive  our  account  with  charity. 
Let  the  shadows  fall  in  quiet  benediction  upon  well- 
used  opportunities.  May  the  sun  go  down  upon  our 
shortcomings  to  rise  upon  stronger  efforts.  Give  us 
joy  in  a  world  so  beautiful,  in  work  so  inviting,  of 
rest  so  refreshing.    Amen. 

Edward  B.   Saunders. 


3unt  5  159 


Ah  me,  but  the  day  is  so  long ! 

And  the  toil  is  so  hard,  and  the  brain 
So  weary  of  weighing  the  right  and  the  wrong, 

So  tired  of  the  stress  and  the  strain  I 
What  dream  of  delight  can  endure 

The  noise  and  the  dust  of  the  street  ?  — 
Yet  if  Love  only  wait  at  the  end  of  the  day 

The  toil  and  the  trouble  are  sweet ! 

The  heart  would  be  roaming  afar, 

These  sunshiny  days,  to  the  green 
Delights  of  the  grove  where  the  singing  birds  are, 

And  the  flash  of  the  river  is  seen; 
But  here  are  a  desk  and  a  chair, 

And  a  task  for  a  poet  unmeet  — 
Yet  if  hove  only  wait  at  the  end  of  the  day 

The  toil  and  the  trouble  are  sweet. 

Denis  A.  McCarthy. 


O  Thou,  who  glvest  power  to  the  faint  and  joy 
to  the  faithful,  lo,  the  day  with  its  heat  and  burden 
has  fallen  upon  us  and  we  have  grown  weary  under 
its  strain  of  toil  and  its  press  of  care.  We  live  amid 
the  dust  of  trivial  duties  and  monotonous  tasks 
absorb  our  powers.  Our  hearts  often  long  for  pas- 
tures green  and  we  would  sit  down  by  the  cool  waters 
of  delight.  Forgive  us  our  longing  for  an  easier  lot 
and  nobler  tasks.  Consecrate  unto  us  the  drudgery 
of  our  daily  life  so  that  every  path  may  shine  and 
every  labor  seem  divine.  Only  grant  us  Thy  love 
to  cheer  and  sustain  us  and,  at  the  end  of  the  day's 
toil  and  stress,  may  we  find  the  joy  of  faithful  ser- 
vice.    Amen. 

Rodney  F.  Johonnot. 


i6o  Sunt  6 


Through  love  to  light !      Oh,  wonderful  the  way 
That  leads  from  darkness  to  the  perfect  day  ! 
From  darkness  and  from  sorrow  of  the  night 
To  morning  that  comes  singing  o'er  the  sea. 
Through   love   to   light !      Through   light,   0    God,   to 

Thee, 
Who  art  the  love  of  love,  the  eternal  light  of  light ! 
Richard  Watson  Gilder. 


/  have  learned  that  we  are  not  to  find  solace  in  our 
own  strength;  we  must  seek  it  in  God's  omnipotence. 
Fortitude  is  good;  hut  fortitude  itself  must  he  shaken 
under  us  to  teach  us  how  weak  we  are. 

Charlotte  Bronte. 


O  Christ  !  in  whom  was  life  and  whose  life  was 
the  Light  of  men  !  when  we  sit  in  darkness  be  Thou 
a  light  unto  us,  and  in  Thy  life  may  we  see  light. 
When  we  lie  down,  may  our  sleep  be  sweet  unto  us, 
through  the  ministry  of  Thy  grace;  and  when  we 
awake  may  it  be  to  a  sense  of  gladness  and  of  strength 
in  the  assurance  of  Thy  favor.  Thus,  whether  we 
wake  or  whether  we  sleep,  we  shall  live  together  with 
Thee  whose  favor  is  life  and  whose  loving-kindness 
is  better  than  life.    Amen. 

Charles  M.    Stuart. 


3fuue  7  161 

77>£  smallest  roadside  pool  has  its  water  from  heaven 
and  its  gleam  from  the  sun,  and  can  hold  the  stars 
in  its  bosom,  as  well  as  the  great  ocean.  Even  so,  the 
humblest  man  or  woman  can  live  splendidly.  That 
is  the  royal  truth  that  we  need  to  believe,  you  and  I 
who  have  no  "  mission,"  and  no  great  sphere  to  move 
in.  The  universe  is  not  quite  complete  without  my 
work  well  done.  Have  you  ever  read  George  Eliot's 
poem  called  "  Stradivarius  ?  "  Stradivartus  was  the 
famous  old  violin-maker,  whose  violins,  nearly  two 
centuries  old,  are  almost  worth  their  weight  in  gold 
today.     Says  Stradivarius  in  the  poem: 

If  my  hand  slacked, 
I  shoul1  rob   God  —  since  He  is  fullest  good  — 
Leaving  a  blank  instead  of  violins. 
He  could  not  make  Antonio  Stradivari's  violins 
Without  Antonio." 

William  C.  Gannett. 


Dear  Father,  may  we  be  true  just  because  we  are 
Thy  children;  and  wherever  we  are,  whether  any 
one  is  looking  on  or  not,  whether  there  is  fame  to 
be  won  or  not,  let  us  be  true  to  Thee,  true  to  the  ideals 
of  our  own  souls,  and  so  help  produce  that  perfection 
and  harmony  that  shall  make  up  the  music  of  the 
world.  We  realize  that  we  cannot  do  any  great 
thing;  but  we  are  glad  that  Thou  hast  made  us  a 
sharer  in  Thy  work  at  all,  and  that  there  is  some 
little  thing  we  can  do.  Let  us  do  it  faithfully,  then, 
as  for  Thee,  and  so  win  the  "  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant  !  "     Amen. 

Minot  J.  Savage. 


1 62  Sfttue  8 


You  are  a  block  of  rough  marble.  You  may  some 
time  come  to  be  a  statue  of  splendid  proportions,  but 
must  be  chiseled  and  hammered  before  that  consum- 
mation can  be  reached.  Grief,  struggle,  disappointment, 
the  whole  range  of  sad  experiences  which  fill  life  so 
full,  are  the  tools  with  which  the  Great  Artist  will 
change  your  shape  by  slow  degrees  and  convert  you 
from  a  mere  block  to  a  thing  of  beauty. 

George  H.  Hepworth. 


When  the  song's  gone  out  of  your  life,  you  can't 
start  another  while  it's  a-ringtng  in  your  ears:  it's 
best  to  have  a  bit  o'  silence,  and  out  o'  that  maybe  a 
psalm'll  come,  by  and  by. 

Edward  Garrett. 


Our  Father,  though  Thou  standest  with  Master's 
tool  in  hand,  we  fear  Thee  not.  Thou  wilt  not  strike 
a  blow  unneeded  or  amiss.  Thou  wilt  not  mar  the 
work,  or  fail  to  change  the  rude  block  into  beauty. 
O  God,  we  will  rejoice  even  in  the  shock  of  blows 
which  hurt,  since  we  know  the  Hand  which  gives 
them,  and  the  loving  Mind  which  purposes  our  good. 
Let  us  be  patient  while  with  blow  on  blow  Thou 
fashionest  our  lives  according  to  the  image  of  our 
Master.  Nor  let  us  hinder  Thy  work  by  vain  com- 
plainings, but  with  glad  co-operation  let  us  help  Thee 
with  dreams  and  hopes  of  nobler  life.    Amen. 

Frederick  DeLand  Leete. 


$xmt  9  163 


"  What  shall  I  talk  about?  "  Alice  Freeman  Palmer, 
one  of  the  earlier  presidents  of  Wellesley  College,  once 
asked  the  girls  of  a  school  in  the  slums  of  the  city. 
One  girl  replied,  "  Tell  us  how  to  be  happy."  "  The 
tears  rushed  to  my  eyes,"  wrote  Mrs.  Palmer,  and 
a  lump  came  into  my  throat.  Happy  in  such  sur- 
roundings !  "  Well,"  said  I,  "  I  will  give  you  my 
three  rules  for  being  happy,  but  mind,  you  must  all 
promise  to  keep  them  for  a  week,  and  not  skip  a  single 
day,  for  they  wont  work  if  you  skip  one  single  day. 
The  first  is  that  you  will  commit  something  to  memory 
every  day,  something  good.  It  needn't  be  much,  three 
or  four  words  will  do,  just  a  pretty  bit  of  poem  or  Bible 
verse.  .  .  .  The  second  rule  is,  look  for  something 
pretty  every  day,  and  don't  skip  a  day  or  it  won't 
work.  A  leaf,  a  flower,  a  cloud,  —  you  can  all  find 
something.  My  third  rule  is  —  now  mind,  don't 
skip  a  day  !  —  do  something  for  somebody  every  day. 

Anonymous. 


O  Thou,  who  hast  given  us  all  things,  really  to 
enjoy,  give  us  grace,  day  by  day,  to  treasure  up  in 
memory's  store-house  the  truth  Thou  wouldst  have 
us  know,  and  give  us  such  sensitiveness  of  soul  as 
shall  be  swiftly  and  sweetly  responsive  to  the  beauty 
Thou  wouldst  have  us  see  and  with  which  Thou 
hast  garnished  our  pilgrim  pathway,  and  give  us 
strength  to  perform  all  the  duty  Thou  wouldst  have 
us  do  so  that  we  shall  be  richer  for  having  lived  in 
this  Thy  world  and  the  world  shall  be  richer  for  our 
having  lived  in  it.     Amen. 

P.   S.  Henson. 


i64  3fune  10 


Oh !  that  cheerful,  childlike  trust  which  believes 
that  all  shall  be  right  with  the  world  because  God  is 
in  Heaven;  which  believes  that,  whatever  storms  shake 
earth  or  Heaven,  the  everlasting  pillars  are  not  shaken, 
—  is  it  not  sublime  ? 

N.  A.  Staples. 


As  some  rare  perfume  in  a  vase  of  clay 
Pervades  it  with  a  fragrance  not  its  own; 

So,  when   Thou  dwellest  in   a  human  soul 

All  Heavens  own  sweetness  seems  about  it  thrown; 

The  soul  alone,  like  a  neglected  harp 

Grows  out  of  tune,  and  needs  Thy  hand  Divine; 

Dwell  Thou  within  it,  tune  and  touch  its  chords, 

Till  every  note  and  string  shall  answer  Thine! 

Harriet  Beecher  Stowe. 


O  Thou  who  makest  the  outgoings  of  the  morning 
and  the  evening  to  rejoice,  we  thank  Thee  for  the 
blessings  of  this  day.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  strength 
which  has  enabled  us  to  toil,  for  the  love  that  has 
prompted  us  to  minister,  for  the  guidance  of  the 
still  small  voice  when  we  were  tempted  to  err,  for  the 
light  which  has  sifted  through  our  clouds  of  sorrow 
and  of  doubt,  for  the  hope  that  has  made  the  step 
elastic,  the  yoke  easy  and  the  burden  light.  And  now 
we  lay  ourselves  down  in  peace  to  sleep,  assured 
that  He  who  has  sustained  us  during  the  day  will 
make  us  dwell  in  safety  beneath  His  unslumbering 
eye.     Amen. 

Thomas  D.  Anderson. 


Sttltt  U  165 


The  secret  of  life  is  not  to  be  what  one  likes,  but  to 
try  to  like  that  which  one  has  to  do;  and  one  does  come 
to  like  it  in  time. 

Dinah  A^ulock  Craik. 

When  a  man  says,  "  This  is  well  enough  for  today, 
but  tomorrow  I  shall  have  more  and  better"  he  is 
just  in  the  state  of  mind  that  makes  the  more  and  the 
better  possible.  But  when  one  feels  that  his  circum- 
stances are  not  only  a  hardship,  but  also  an  injustice, 
he  can  neither  get  out  of  his  present  the  best  there  is 
in  it,  nor  look  forward  to  the  future  with  anything  like 
good  cheer. 

George  H.  Hepworth. 

Thou  infinite  spirit  of  ceaseless  energy,  who 
workes  evermore,  we  thank  Thee  for  our  own 
divine  call  to  work.  Thou  givest  dignity  to  our 
daily  toil  by  calling  us  to  co-operate  with  Thee. 
Save  us,  we  pray  Thee,  from  discontent  with 
our  task.  Save  us  from  the  common  lot  of  the 
drudge,  by  giving  us  a  sense  of  the  divine  part- 
nership in  which  we  are  working,  and  give  us 
grace  to  be  glad  in  the  opportunity  for  service 
that  comes  through  work.  So  may  our  hum- 
blest toils  be  blessed  and  our  lives  be  crowned. 
Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


1 66  Suite  12 

/  hear  it  often  in  the  dark, 

I  hear  it  in  the  light,  — 
Where  is  the  voice  that  comes  to  me 

With  such  a  quiet  mights' 

It  seems  but  echo  to  my  thought, 

And  yet  beyond  the  stars  ! 
It  seems  a  heart  beat  in   a  hush, 

And  yet  the  planet  jars  ! 

O,  may  it  be  that  far  within 

My  inmost  soul  there  lies 
A  spirit-sky  that  opens  with 

Those  voices  of  surprise? 

Then  is  God's  heaven  my  very  soul! 

And  his,  so  sweet  and  strong, 
The  Breath  that  sweeps  its  silences, 

And  fills  my  heart  with  song ! 

William  C.  Gannett. 

Thou  Father  of  Light,  how  can  we  pray  unless 
Thou  givest  the  prayer  we  utter  ?  May  we  be  still 
and  know  that  Thou  art  God.  All  our  springs  are 
in  Thee.  We  live  because  Thou  livest  in  us.  We 
think  because  Thou  thinkest  in  us.  We  love  only 
when  Thou  lovest  in  us.  So  only  can  we  pray  when 
Thou  prayest  in  us.  Speak  to  us,  Father,  and  we  will 
answer  Thee.  Call  us  and  we  will  follow  Thee. 
What  is  it  to  love  Thee,  O  Father,  but  to  open  our 
hearts  to  Thy  love  for  us  ?  In  Thy  restfulness  shall 
be  our  peace,  in  Thy  purity  our  perfection,  in  Thy 
love  our  joy,  and  in  Thy  service  our  satisfaction. 
Amen. 

Charles  E.   Stowe. 


3jfuue  13  167 


Look  back  on  your  life  and  see  what  blessed  in- 
fluences have  come  to  you  to  form  your  character,  to 
ennoble  your  aims,  to  inspire  you  with  a  true  spirit. 
All  this  is  only  a  preparation  for  a  deeper  and  fuller 
life  of  love,  which  God  means  to  give  to  all  of  us  on  the 
condition  of  faith.  Believe  that  what  He  has  begun 
He  means  to  carry  on  and  finish.  That  is,  trust  Him. 
Do  not  doubt  His  nearness,  His  influence,  His  good- 
will. 

James  Freeman  Clarke. 


Grant  unto  us,  O  Lord,  our  God,  that  light  of 
faith  by  which  we  shall  discern  Thee  in  everything. 
Art  not  Thou  the  tree  of  life  to  us  ?  Dost  Thou 
not  give  shadows  as  the  trees  do  ?  But  when  winter 
comes,  then  Thou  art  not  the  tree,  that  with  shadow 
brings  chill.  Thou  art  the  very  sun.  Thou  art  our 
warmth  and  our  light.  Thou  art,  O  Lord,  our  food. 
When  we  are  faint,  Thou  art  the  water  of  life  to 
comfort  us.  Thou  art  our  star,  shining  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  telling  us  the  way  when  we  are  lost.  Though 
we  cannot  see  what  it  is,  we  follow  its  light  without 
questioning,  and  are  rescued.  Thou  art  our  rest 
and  our  home.  Thou  art  all  in  all. 
Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


168  $unt  14 


Not  all  who  seem  to  fail  have  jailed  indeed; 

Not  all  who  fail  have  therefore  worked  in  vain; 
For  all  our  acts  to  many  issues  lead, 

And  out  of  earnest  purpose,  pure  and  plain, 
Enforced  by  honest  toil  of  hand  or  brain, 
The  Lord  will  fashion   in  His  own  good  time 
Such  ends  as  to  His  wisdom  fthest  chime 
With  His  vast  love's  eternal  harmonies. 

Anonymous. 


O  Thou  source  of  all  goodness  and  strength,  I  lift 
my  heart  in  filial  confidence  to  Thee  who  hast  as- 
signed me  my  task  in  life.  I  may  have  seemed  to 
fail  in  doing  it  but  I  know  that  Thine  heart  of  infinite 
love  has  accepted  my  service.  Faulty  indeed  it  has 
been,  but  Thy  wisdom  has  overruled  all  its  imper- 
fection for  good.  A  bruised  reed,  men  may  think  me 
to  be  useless  in  helping  swell  the  world's  harmonies, 
but  Thou,  the  tender  Shepherd,  hast  not  broken  it, 
but  refashioned  and  reattuned  it  to  chime  in  with  the 
divine  music  of  heaven  and  earth.  I  lay  me  down  and 
sleep  resting  in  this  full  assurance  of  faith.  May  I 
awake  in  Thy  likeness  more  ready  than  when  slumber 
touched  my  eyelids  for  more  gracious  and  acceptable 
service  to  Thee  and  my  fellowmen.    Amen. 

Samuel  Fallows. 


3Juttt  15  169 


There  is  a  peace  which  no  men  know 
Save  those  whom  suffering  hath  laid  low,  — 
The  peace  of  pain. 

A  strength,  which  only  comes  to  those 
Who've  borne  defeat,  —  greater,  God  knows, 
Than  victory. 

A  happiness,  which  comes  at  last, 
After  all  happiness  seems  past,  — 
The  joy  of  peace. 

Anonymous. 


Good  Father,  we  adore  Thee  for  the  gifts  which 
enrich  our  lives.  In  the  contemplation  of  all  Thou 
sendest  us,  our  gratitude  is  quickened,  our  com- 
plainings are  hushed,  and  our  troubles  seem  as  the 
line  dust  of  the  balance.  Yet  we  thank  Thee  even 
for  the  difficulties  we  have  had  to  face,  the  hardships 
that  have  befallen  us,  and  the  defeats  that  seemed  at 
first  to  crush  us.  Thou  art  teaching  us  that  it  is  not 
success  or  victory  alone  that  gives  life  worth,  but 
that  the  finer  graces  of  character  blossom  in  the 
pathway  of  failure  and  defeat.  Grant  us,  we  be- 
seech Thee,  the  culture  of  soul  that  adversity  brings, 
and  may  we  rise  to  the  joy  of  Thy  companionship, 
in  which  alone  true  peace  is  found.    Amen. 

Herbert  L.  Willett. 


i/o  3Jutu  16 


It  isn't  the  thing  you  do,  dear, 

It's  the  thing  you  leave  undone, 

Which  gives  you  the  bit  of  heartache 

At  the  setting  of  the  sun. 

The  tender  word  forgotten, 

The  letter  you  did  not  write, 

The  flower  you  might  have  sent,  dear, 

Are  your  haunting  ghosts  tonight. 

The  stone  you  might  have  lifted 

Out  of  a  brother's  way, 

The  bit  of  heartsome  counsel 

You  were  hurried  too  much  to  say; 

The  loving  touch  of  the  hand,  dear, 

The  gentle  and  winsome  tone, 

That  you  had  no  time  or  thought  for 

With  troubles  enough  of  your  own. 

Margaret  E.  Sangster. 


Our  God  and  Father,  Thou  art  continually  blessing 
and  helping  Thy  children;  Thy  bounty  and  Thy 
patience  never  fail.  This  day  has  brought  again  to 
all  the  evidence  of  Thy  continued  loving-kindness. 
Forgive  us,  O  our  Father,  if  accepting  so  much  from 
Thee,  we  sometimes  forget  the  claims  our  brothers 
and  sisters  make  upon  our  sympathy  and  our  love. 
Teach  us  how  to  minister  unto  others  as  Thou  art 
ever  ministering  unto  us.  And  when  the  evening  of 
life  shall  come,  may  we  be  able  to  hear  the  "  Well 
done,  good  and  faithful  servant  "  which  shall  bring 
us  lasting  peace  as  we  lie  down  to  rest.     Amen. 

Arthur  Wilder  Grose. 


3ftwe  17  171 


All  day  among  our  fellow-men  we  move; 

And  in  our  homes,  or  on  t.JC   busy  street, 
Exchange  with  them  our  gold,  our  hate  and  love; 

Pass  this  one  by,   and  this   one  smiling  greet; 
Add  yet  a  little  to  the  hoarded  store 

That  we  have  heaped  in   long  laborious  days; 
Or  tired  of  this,  we  say  we'll  toil  no  more, 

And  follow  after  joy  through   pleasant  ways. 
But  at  the  last  the  day  is  done,  and  when 

Our  little  earth  is  fading  on  the  sight, 
God's  world-sown   universe,  appearing  then, 

Throngs  all  the  splendid  spaces  of  the  night; 
Our  waking  spirit  then  begins  to  rise 

And  soar  on  new-found  wings  beyond  the  skies. 

Anonymous. 


O  gracious  Lord,  I  thank  Thee  for  a  busy  day. 
At  its  close  I  bring  to  Thee  my  evening  offering,  its 
service,  crude  and  uncomely  in  Thy  sight,  trusting 
Thou  mayest  find  it  precious  as  a  loving  service,  the 
best  Thy  loyal  child  could  give.  Confer  upon  it 
Thy  blessing  that  the  activities  of  this  day  may  wholly 
further  Thy  will.  Refresh  me  this  night.  Prepare 
me  for  further  service.  I  pray  not  for  ease  but  strength, 
not  for  peace  but  victory.  Let  not  the  distractions 
of  a  busy  life,  the  allurement  of  gain,  the  burden  of 
continuous  care,  the  discouragement  of  disappointed 
hope,  the  invitation  of  pleasure,  or  the  solicitation  of 
men  swerve  me  from  Thee.  Make  and  keep  me 
pure.  Guide  me  unerringly  that  after  the  last  eventide 
I  may  lie  down  to  awaken  in  Thy  glory.  Amen. 
Edwin   M.   Randall. 


172  3tmc  18 


An   angel,  robed  in  spotless  white, 
Bent  down   and  kissed  the  sleeping  Night. 
Night  woke  to  blush;   the  sprite  was  gone, 
Men  saw  the  blush  and  called  it  Dawn. 

Paul  Laurence  Dunbar. 


Above  the  clear  sky  was  full  of  stars,  and  among  them 
the  beautiful  planet  Jupiter  shone  serene.  The  sky 
was  of  a  lovely  night  blue;  it  was  an  hour  to  think,  to 
dream,  to  revere,  to  love  —  a  time  when,  if  ever  it 
will,  the  soul  reigns,  and  the  coarse  rude  acts  of  day  are 
forgotten  in  the  aspirations  of  the  inmost  mind.  The 
night  was  calm  —  still;  it  was  in  no  haste  to  do  any- 
thing —  it  had  nothing  it  needed  to  do.  To  be  is  enough 
for  the  stars. 

Richard  Jefferies. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  let  the  days  and  the  nights 
speak  to  our  hearts,  that  we  may  join  in  the  song 
of  old,  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  firmament  showeth  His  handiwork,  day  unto 
day  uttereth  speech  and  night  unto  night  showeth 
knowledge  of  Thee."  When  the  stars  shine  amid 
the  blue  of  the  sky  may  it  awake  in  our  hearts  some 
sense  of  eternity.  May  we  turn  away  from  things 
that  pass  in  a  night  and  lay  hold  of  the  things  that 
abide.  Beautiful  and  wonderful  as  are  the  stars  in 
the  sky,  may  the  soul  of  man  be  to  us  yet  more  beauti- 
ful and  more  wonderful.  O  lead  us  from  Nature  up 
to  Nature's  God.     Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


$UUt  19  173 


Do  you  not  know  what  it  is  to  be  failing  every  day, 
and  yet  to  be  sure  —  humbly  but  deeply  sure  —  that 
your  life  ts,  as  a  whole,  in  its  great  movement,  and 
meaning,  not  failing,  but  succeeding  ?  You  want  to 
do  the  best  work  that  a  man  can  do,  —  to  make  life 
brighter  and  nobler  for  your  fellow-men.  Not  a  day 
passes,  but  that  you  do  not  somehow  try  to  do  that 
blessed  work;  but  every  time  you  turn  away  after  one 
of  those  attempts  to  give  sympathy  or  inspiration  to 
your  brethren,  how  your  heart  sinks,  so  cold  and 
ignoble  are  the  words  which  you  meant  to  be  so  generous 
and  warm  !  And  yet  after  all  you  know  that  the  whole 
life  does  not  fail.  Still  there  is  the  purpose  !  It  does 
not  die.  It  is  not  given  up.  It  presses  forward, 
wounded  and  bleeding,  but  more  and  more  determined 
every  day.  Every  day  it  grows  clearer  and  clearer  to 
you  that  without  that  wish  and  hope  and  resolution, 
life  would  not  be  worth  living. 

Phillips  Brooks. 


O  God,  led  by  Thee,  we  have  completed  another 
day's  march  "  towards  heaven  !  Today  the  way 
has  been  rough,  and  our  feet  are  torn  and  bleeding, 
but  we  thank  Thee  that  our  purpose  to  serve  Thee 
and  our  fellow-men  has  not  faltered.  It  is  enough  for 
us  that  we  have  Thy  sympathy.  And  so,  with  serene 
confidence  we  wait  for  the  renewals  of  the  night  that 
we  may  be  better  fitted  for  the  tasks  of  the  day  to 
come.  Help  us  to  be  strong  against  intruding  doubts 
and  the  depression  of  weariness,  and  bring  us  to  the 
new  day  in  such  a  temper  of  mind  that  we  may  go 
forward  and  finish  our  course  with  joy  !  Amen. 
Henry  Irving  Cushman. 


i74  Sunt  20 


When   a  soul 
Burns  with  a  godlike  purpose  to  achieve, 
All  obstacles  between   it  and  its  goal 
Must  vanish  as  the  dew  before  the  sun. 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 


I  could  not  keep  on  with  the  fight; 

I  could  not  face  my  want,  my  sin, 
The  baffled  hope,  the  urgent  foe, 
The  mighty  wrong,  the  struggling  right, 
Excepting  that  I  surely  know 
Some  time  — 
Some  time,  some  dear  time,  —  /  shall  win. 

Susan  Coolidge. 


Gracious  Father,  we  want  to  feel  Thy  Presence 
now,  we  need  to  know  that  Thou  art  here,  and  that 
Thou  art  interested  in  what  we  do  and  say  at  this 
hallowed  evening  hour,  as  we  take  an  upward  look 
of  thankfulness  before  retiring  to  rest.  May  we 
realize  that  to-day  we  have  co-labored  with  Thee, 
that  in  Thy  great  tasks  Thou  hast  needed  strong  men 
and  women  to  help  Thee,  that  our  work  has  been 
Thy  work,  and  Thy  work  has  been  our  work,  and 
all  our  triumphs  have  been  Thy  triumph  and  Thy 
joy.  May  we  rest  in  the  Lord  this  night,  and  on  the 
morrow  go  forth  in  Thy  strength  to  overcome  every 
adversary,  resist  every  temptation,  bear  every  burden, 
endure  every  trial,  and  win  every  victory  over  our- 
selves and  the  world.    Amen. 

Ralph  E.  Conner. 


Suite  21  175 

You  groped  your    way    across   my   room   1'   the  drear 

dark  of  night; 
At  each  fresh  step  a  stumble  was;    but,  once  your  lamp 

alight, 
Easy  and  plain  you  walked  again:    so  soon  all  wrong 

grew  right  ! 

What  lay  on  floor  to  trip  your  foot?     Each  object,  late 

awry, 
Looked  fitly  placed,  nor  proved  offence  to  footing  free 

—  for  why  ? 
The  lamp  showed   all,   discordant  late,  grown   simple 

symmetry. 

Be  love  your  light  and  trust  your  guide,  with  these 

explore  my  heart ! 
No  obstacle  to  trip  you   then,  strike  hands  and  souls 

apart  ! 
Since  rooms  and  hearts  are  furnished  so,  —  light  shows 

you,  —  need  love  start  ? 

Robert  Browning. 

O  God,  who  givest  light  and  darkness,  joy  and 
sorrow  and  life  and  death,  help  us  amid  earth's 
changes  to  be  steadfast  and  serene.  Thou  hast 
taught  us  to  say.  "  In  the  beginning,  God."  May 
we  come  to  Thee  for  succor  not  only  at  the  end  of 
life  when  the  mortal  mist  gathers  round  us,  but  at 
the  beginning  of  each  day,  and  in  the  formation  of 
each  new  plan.  May  we  look  to  Thee  not  at  the 
end  of  our  resources,  but  at  the  beginning  of  our  toil. 
Give  us  evermore  to  realize  that  Thou  art  closer 
than  any  earthly  friend,  nearer  even  than  our  doubts 
and  fears.     Amen. 

W.  H.  P.  Faunce. 


176  SttttC  22 

Whether  any  particular  day  shall  bring  to  you  more 
happiness  or  suffering  is  largely  beyond  your  power 
to  determine.  Whether  each  day  of  your  life  shall 
give  happiness  or  suffering  rests  with  yourself. 

George  S.  Merriam. 

Every  human  soul  has  the  germ  of  some  flowers 
within;  and  they  would  open  if  they  could  only  find 
sunshine  and  free  air  to  expand  it.  I  always  told  you 
that  not  having  enough  of  sunshine  was  what  ailed  the 
world.  Make  people  happy,  and  there  will  not  be  half 
the  quarreling  or  a  tenth  part  of  the  wickedness  there 
is. 

Mrs.  L.  M.  Child. 

Heavenly  Father,  whose  banner  over  us  is  love 
and  whose  tender  mercy  is  toward  all  Thy  children, 
we  know  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth,  we  only 
know  that  the  hour  for  serving  Thee  is  always  present. 
In  the  time  of  prosperity  temper  our  self-confidence 
with  thankfulness  and  in  the  day  of  adversity  suffer 
not  our  trust  in  Thee  to  fail.  Grant  us  patience 
under  any  afflictions  that  may  come  to  us  and  in 
whatsoever  state  we  are,  herewith  to  be  content. 
Especially  we  ask  Thee  to  remember  in  pity  such  as 
are  destitute,  homeless,  or  forgotten.  Uplift  those 
who  are  cast  down  and  mightily  befriend  innocent 
sufferers.  Cheer  with  hope  all  discouraged  and 
unhappy  people,  and  grant  us  grace  to  know  no 
happiness  greater  than  bringing  sunshine  into  others' 
lives,  to  count  no  day  complete  without  its  deed  cf 
kindness  that  so  at  evening  time  it  may  be  light  and 
pur  lying  down  may  be  in  peace.    Amen. 

Reginald  H.  Howe. 


3Jttue  23  177 


God  keepeth  not  His  angels 

All  in  Heaven; 
The  ministries  of  some 

To  earth  are  given; 
And  oft  the  shades 

That  seem  to  mar  life's  day 
Are  but  their  shadows 

Falling  on  our  way. 
By  every  troubled  soul 

Some  angel  stands 
And  stretches  forth 

Her  gentle,  pitying  hands. 

E.  W.  Shurtleff. 


O  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  we  would  remember 
that  Thou  hast  made  us  and  not  we  ourselves,  — 
that  we  come  to  Thee  and  go  to  Thee,  and  that  our 
lives  are  lived  in  Thy  presence.  Grant  unto  us  in 
this  night  as  well  as  in  the  day  that  all  Thy  blessed 
ministries  may  make  music  in  our  souls,  bring  balm 
to  our  wounded  spirits,  and  the  peace  that  passeth 
understanding  in  fulness  of  power  as  we  rest  our- 
selves within  Thine  all-embracing  arms.  So  inspire 
and  lead  and  guide  us  all,  that  at  the  last  we  may  lay 
us  down  to  rest,  evermore  secure  in  Thee.    Amen. 

George  W.   Colson. 


178  Sttue  24 

The  cynics  say  that  every  rose 

Is  guarded  by  a  thorn  which  grows 

To  spoil  our  posies: 
But  I  no  pleasure  therefore  lack; 
I  keep  my  hands  behind  my  back 

When  smelling  roses. 

Though  outwardly  a  gloomy  shroud, 
The  inner  half  of  every  cloud 
Is  bright  and  shining: 
I  therefore  turn  my  clouds  about, 
And  always  wear  them  inside  out 
To  show  the  lining. 

My  modus  operandi   this  — 

To  take  no  heed  of  what's  amiss; 

And  not  a  bad  one: 
Because,  as  Shakespeare  used  to  say, 
A  merry  heart  goes  twice  the  way 

That  tires  a  sad  one. 

Ellen  T.  F.  Felkins. 


O  Infinite  Lover,  we  thank  Thee  for  our  creation. 
Grant  unto  us  clear  vision  that  behind  all  apparent 
confusion,  wrong  and  mistake,  we  may  discern  the 
infinite  order,  the  everlasting  righteousness,  the  per- 
fect certainty  of  Thy  sufficient  providence.  Con- 
vince us  of  the  vast  profit  of  human  life.  Teach  us 
the  beauty  and  duty  of  hope  and  good  cheer.  Cause 
our  hearts  to  sing.  Bless  unto  our  good  the  day 
now  drawing  to  its  close,  and  so  influence  us  that 
because  of  what  we  have  thought  and  wrought  during 
its  fleeting  hours  we  may  grow  in  trust.     Amen. 

George  E.  Huntley. 


3Htuc  25  179 


No  pure  and  simple  life,  true  to  itself,  true  to  its 
maker,  was  ever  lived  on  this  earth  that  was  not  a 
voice  on  God's  behalf,  however  still  and  small,  and  that 
did  not,  in  its  sincere  and  humble  way,  declare  a  hope 
and  reveal  a  faith  which  might  well  be  the  evidence 
of  things  unseen. 

Alexander  Gordon. 

Whoever  produces  order  in  one  little  corner  of  the 
world  is  a  co-worker  with  God.  To  make  a  kitchen 
clean,  to  set  a  chamber  in  order,  that  it  may  not  offend, 
to  dust  the  furniture  of  a  parlor,  to  shovel  the  snow  from 
a  sidewalk,  to  remove  the  weeds  from  a  garden,  to  make 
a  little  of  the  desert  arable,  to  replace  thistle  with  rose, 
to  drive  ignorance  out  of  some  mind,  to  bring  in  knowl- 
edge and  morality !  Is  not  any  one  of  these  tasks 
enough  to  relate  us  to  God,  who  has,  from  all  eternity, 
been  working  against  chaos  and  disorder? 

George  L.  Perin. 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth,  for  Thy  gift  to  us  in  the  day  now  closing. 
Forgive  us  that  we  have  so  dimly  seen  its  worth,  so 
poorly  understood  our  birthright,  as  to  misuse  or 
neglect  its  opportunities  for  filial  service.  Show 
us  the  meaning  of  our  daily  cares  and  duties,  and 
make  us  glad  in  the  knowledge  that  fidelity  binds 
us  to  Thee  and  makes  for  righteousness.  Let  the 
consciousness  that  we  are  in  Thy  gracious  keeping 
fill  our  minds  with  peace,  and  the  night  with  gratitude 
and  rest.  May  we  fear  no  evil,  because  Thou  art 
our  Father  and  our  God.     Amen. 

Costello  Weston. 


i8o  3unt  26 


/  tell  you  the  soul  shapes  to  itself  a  life,  whether  the 
outer  life  conform  to  it  or  not.  What  else  is  imagination 
%iven  for  ?  Outside  may  be  cold  and  darkness.  Tour 
hands  may  stretch  into  an  unresponsive  vo.d.  Yet 
in  your  spirits  are  ye  blessed.  There  find  ye,  wide  open, 
the  door  into  the  kingdom  !  As  in  a  dream,  paths 
impossible  to  sense  show  plain  and  sudden  transit  into 
distant  places,  —  so  from  your  shut  souls  widens  out 
an  entrance-way  into  God's  everlasting  joy  ! 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


Thou  Creator  of  life,  we  thank  Thee  that  we  too 
may  command  the  light  to  shine.  Thou  hast  placed 
the  tools  of  creation  in  our  hands.  Thou  hast  bidden 
us  to  imitate  Thy  work.  We  thank  Thee  that  we 
too  may  be  creators  in  the  field  of  life.  We  are  glad 
that  we  may  turn  the  trial  into  a  blessing  and  the 
cross  into  a  highway,  and  use  all  things  in  building 
up  a  richer  life.  It  is  good  to  remember  that  nothing 
can  keep  us  from  Thee.  Forgive  our  failures,  Father. 
Receive  us  this  night  and  refresh  our  spirits.  To- 
morrow may  the  weariness  be  forgotten  and  hope 
be  strong.  Daily  with  Jesus,  may  we  find  old  things 
passing  away  and  all  things  becoming  new.     Amen. 

Arthur  S.  Baldwin. 


Sunt  27  181 


Then  the  moon  slips  up  into  the  sky  from  behind 
the  eastern  hills,  and  the  fisherman  begins  to  think  of 
home,  and  of  the  foolish  fond  old  rhymes  about  those 
whom  the  moon  sees  far  away,  and  the  stars  that  have 
the  power  to  fulfil  wishes  —  as  if  the  celestial  bodies 
knew  or  cared  anything  about  our  small  nerve-thrills 
which  we  call  affection  and  desires.  But  if  there  were 
Some  One  above  the  moon  and  stars  who  did  know  and 
care,  Some  One  who  could  see  the  places  and  people 
that  you  and  I  would  give  so  much  to  see,  Some  One 
who  could  do  for  them  all  of  kindness  that  you  and  I 
fain  would  do,  Some  One  able  to  keep  our  beloved  in 
perfect  peace  and  watch  over  the  little  children  sleeping 
in  their  beds  beyond  the  sea  —  what  then  ?  Why, 
then,  in  the  evening  hour,  one  might  have  thoughts 
of  home  that  would  go  across  the  ocean  by  way  of 
Heaven,  and  be  better  than  dreams,  almost  as  good  as 
prr.yers. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 

Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  in  whom  is 
no  darkness  at  all,  we  lift  up  our  hearts  unto  Thee. 
Abide  with  us,  we  pray  Thee,  through  the  watches 
of  this  night.  After  the  labors  of  the  day,  renew  us 
with  Thy  peace.  Quiet  Thou  our  troubled  spirits 
with  Thy  serene  and  shining  presence.  Be  with 
our  beloved  wherever  they  may  fare,  and  use  the 
affectionate  thoughts  of  our  hearts  as  paths  for  the 
imitations  of  Thy  grace.  And  as  our  bodies  sink 
to  slumber  may  our  souls  repose  profoundly  in  Thee, 
that,  refreshed  and  quickened  by  Thy  spirit,  we  may 
arise  to  a  new  day  of  service  and  joy.    Amen. 

Frederic  \V.  Perkins. 


182  $unt  28 


Methinks  we  do  as  fretful  children  do, 

Leaning  their  faces  on  the  window-pane 

To  sigh  the  glass  dim  with  their  own  breath's  stain, 

And  shut  the  sky  and  landscape  from  their  view; 

And  thus,  alas  !  —  since  God  the  Maker  drew 

A  mystic  separation   'twixt  those  twain, 

The  life  beyond  us  and  our  souls  in  pain  — 

We  miss  the  prospect  which  we're  called  unto. 

Be  still  and  strong, 
0  man,  my  brother,  hold  thy  sobbing  breath, 
And  keep  thy  soul's  large  window  pure  from  wrong, 
That  so,  as  life's  appointment  issueth, 
Thy  vision  may  be  clear  to  watch,  along 
The  sunset,  consummation-lights  of  death. 

Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning. 


Almighty  God,  who  art  Thyself  light,  and  in  Whom 
there  is  no  darkness  at  all,  let  us  know  that  evening 
mists  are  wholly  of  the  earth  and  not  of  heaven. 
Since  our  dim  eyes  can  see  Thee  but  imperfectly 
at  best,  leave  us  not  to  increase  the  obscurity  of  our 
vision  by  the  evaporations  of  doubt,  murmuring  and 
self-will.  May  the  medium  through  which  we  look 
be  that  of  a  crystal-clear  faith,  and  may  we  see  Thee 
and  duty  and  privilege  and  blessing,  as  Christ  saw 
them,  and  because  He  bade  our  opened  eyes  see  them 
too.  O,  let  nothing  divine  escape  Our  view  here, 
and  prepare  us  for  the  sunrise  vision  hereafter.  This 
we  plead  in  the  name  of  Thy  Son,  our  Lord.    Amen. 

Fkederic  Campbell- 


3unt  29  183 

Some  botanists  were  one  day  bunting  for  specimens 
of  mountain  plants  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland,  and 
descried  several  scarce  and  beautiful  plants  growing  at 
some  distance  down  the  face  of  a  steep  precipice.  The 
precipice  was  fully  two  hundred  feet  high.  They  saw 
a  boy  near,  and  offered  him  a  handsome  present  of 
money  if  he  would  allow  himself  to  be  lowered  down 
by  a  rope  and  fill  a  small  basket  with  the  flowers.  The 
boy  shrank  back  at  first,  but  he  remembered  that  his  par- 
ents were  poor,  and  that  the  money  would  be  of  great  use 
to  them,  and  at  last  he  bravely  said,  "  /  will  go  if  my 
father  holds  the  rope."  And  then,  with  unshrinking 
nerves,  and  his  heart  strong  and  bold,  he  suffered  his 
father,  when  he  came,  to  put  the  rope  round  his  waist, 
lower  htm  down  the  side  of  the  precipice,  and  hold 
him  there  while  he  filled  his  basket  with  the  flowers. 
It  was  a  daring  deed,  and  it  was  only  the  boy's  trust 
in  the  strength  of  his  father's  arm,  and  in  the  loving 
care  of  his  father's  heart,  that  enabled  him  to  perform 
it. 

William  Moodie. 

Our  Father  in  Heaven,  we  thank  Thee  that  Thou 
dost  never  call  us  to  any  task  which  is  too  hard  or 
dangerous  for  us.  It  may  look  difficult,  even  impos- 
sible, but  with  Thy  love  caring  for  us,  Thy  wisdom 
watching  over  us,  Thy  strength  made  perfect  in 
our  weakness,  nothing  that  Thou  dost  command  is 
impossible.  So  we  will  go  forward,  trusting  Thee 
in  the  dark  as  well  as  in  the  light,  knowing  that 
Thou  wilt  cause  us  to  go  through  no  darker  rooms 
than  Christ  our  Lord  has  been  through  before.  At 
last  our  tasks  will  all  be  done,  our  perils  over,  and  we 
shall  dwell  with  Thee  forever.     Amen. 

Francis  E.   Clark. 


1 84  $ttW  30 


A  little  sprang  had  lost  its  way, 

Among  the  grass  and  fern; 
A  passing  stranger  scooped  a  well, 

Where  weary  men   might  turn. 
He  walled  it  in,  and  hung  with  care 

A  ladle  at  its  brink  — 
He  thought  not  of  the  deed  he  did, 

But  judged  that  toil  might  drink. 
He  passed  again,  and  lo  !   the  well 

By  summers  never  dried, 
Had  cooled  ten  thousand  parching  tongues, 

And  saved  a  life  beside. 

Lord  Houghton. 


O  Lord,  our  Heavenly  Father,  who  hast  almighty 
power,  and  needest  not  that  any  man  help  Thee,  we 
thank  Thee  that  Thou  dost  entrust  to  Thy  children 
some  share  in  the  fulfilment  of  Thine  infinite  purpose, 
and  dost  give  unto  each  of  the  lowliest  the  privilege 
of  working  with  Thee.  Inspire  us  with  gladness  in 
the  discharge  of  our  daily  duties;  teach  us  that 
nothing  is  common  or  unclean  which  ministers  to 
the  good  of  our  brethren;  and  illumine  our  humblest 
task  with  the  glory  of  Thy  presence.  Forbid  that  we 
should  be  hirelings,  laboring  only  for  the  praise  of 
men;  but  so  grant  Thy  strength  and  Thy  blessing 
that  we  may  serve  in  the  spirit  of  Him  who  counted 
not  His  life  dear  unto  Himself,  and  left  us  an  example 
that  we  should  follow.    Amen. 

Mary  Danforth  Dodge. 


smig  i  185 


In  the  deep  night  a  little  bird 
Wakens,  or  dreams  he  is  awake; 

Cheerily  clear  one  phrase  is  heard, 

And  you  almost  feel  the  morning  break. 

Andrew  Hedbrook. 


Through  the  long  voyage  we  may  welcome  day, 

Glad  when  the  night  is  gone, 
So  many  threat  ning  perils  of  the  way 

Vanish  before  the  dawn; 

And  yet  a  deeper  darkness  we  may  crave 

When  strife  indeed  is  past, 
And  we  from  stress  of  tempest  and  of  wave 

Are  nearing  port  at  last. 

Florence  Earle  Coates. 


Our  gracious  Heavenly  Father,  though  the  night 
darkens,  the  stars  are  shining;  and  even  though  we 
cannot  always  see  them  shining  because  of  storm- 
clouds,  we  know  they  still  shine  above  the  clouds. 
Help  us  to  spiritual  vision  and  knowledge.  Help  us 
always  to  grip  the  certainty  of  Thine  unfailing  love 
and  care.  So  may  we  have  songs  in  the  night.  So  in 
our  deepest  hearts  may  there  be  an  undisturbed 
gladness.  Give  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  this  boon  of 
trust  and  cheer  for  Jesus'  sake.      Amen. 

Wavland  IIoyt. 


i86  3Jttl£  2 


Abou  Ben  Adhem  —  may  his  tribe  increase  ! 

Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 

And  saw  within  the  moonlight  in  the  room, 

Making  it  rich  and  like  a  lily  in   bloom, 

An  angel  writing  in   a  book  of  gold, 

Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold, 

And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 

"  What  writest  thou  ?  "      The  vision   raised  its   head, 

And  with  a  look  made  of  all  sweet  accord, 

Answered,       The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord." 

1  And  is  mine  one  ?  "  said  Abou.     "  Nay,  not  so," 

Replied  the  angel.      Adhem  spoke  more  low, 

But  cheerly  still,  and  said,  "  /  pray  thee,  then, 

Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow-men." 

The  angel  wrote  and  vanished.      The  next  night 

It  came  again  with  a  great  wakening  light, 

And  showed  their  names  whom  love  of  God  had  blessed — 

And  lo  !     Ben  Adhem' s  name  led  all  the  rest. 

Leigh  Hunt. 


Heavenly  Father,  abide  with  us  this  night.  Let 
rot  earth's  evening  shadows  reach  into  our  souls. 
Refresh  us  with  Thy  presence  while  we  rest  in  sleep 
by  night,  and  while  our  thoughts  are  fixed  upon  our 
work  by  day,  that  we  may  transmit  to  others  the 
impulses  of  our  love  as  unconsciously  and  effectively 
as  Thou  dost  transmit  them  to  us.  Abide  with  us 
that  we  may  learn  of  Thee  how  to  love  and  serve 
our  fellow-men.  Create  in  us  a  clean  heart  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  us.  Amen. 
John  B.  Lemon. 


3fttl£  3  187 


Silence,  solitude,  the  flocks  noiselessly  moving  about 
him,  the  eagle  sailing  in  slow  circles  above  his  head, 
the  dawn  struggling  with  night  on  the  far-away  hills, 
the  dewdrops  sparkling  on  the  grass,  the  loud  stream 
rushing  through  its  rocky  bed,  the  black  shadow's 
deepening  in  the  narrow  glen,  the  sheep  gathering 
nearer  to  him  and  couching  themselves  in  the  twilight, 
the  distant  roar  of  the  lion,  the  great  stars  sliding 
through  the  night,  the  trembling  fugitive  sharing 
his  plain  food  as  they  looked  down  together  from  some 
safe  eyrie  upon  the  pastures  below,  —  these  were  the 
forms  and  colours  of  David's  early  life;  and  out  of 
them  he  weaves  a  beautiful  garment  to  clothe  his  thought 
of  God. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


Here  in  our  quiet  home,  Thou  God  of  Nature  and 
our  God,  we  prepare  us  for  the  night,  knowing  that 
the  holy  stars  will  guard  and  the  sentinel  planets 
will  keep  safe  our  slumbering  forms.  "  Even  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting  Thou  art  God."  Thou 
hast  given  Thine  angels  charge  over  us,  and  they 
will  keep  our  feet  from  stumbling  and  our  path  from 
leading  us  over  a  cliff.  Sweet  be  our  sleep,  happy  our 
dreams;  and  may  we  arise  on  the  morrow  to  lives 
of  cheerfulness  and  courage,  eagerly  ready  to  take 
up  our  daily  work,  for  we  know  and  believe  that  we, 
even  we,  have  a  part  in  that  great  moral  order  of 
Thine  by  which  all  things  are  working  together  for 
good.     Amen. 

Henry  R.  Rose. 


188  3*Ulg  4 

Mother  Earth,  are  the  heroes  dead! 

Do  they  thrill  the  soul  of  the  years  no  more? 

Are  the  gleaming  snows  and  the  poppies  red 

All  that  is  left  of  the  brave  of  yore  ? 

Are  there  none  to  fight  as  Theseus  fought, 

Far  in  the  young  world's  misty  dawn, 

Or  to  teach  as  the  gray-haired  Nestor  taught? 

Mother  Earth,  are  the  heroes  gone? 

Gone  ?    In  a  grander  form  they  rise. 

Dead?     We  may  clasp  their  hands  in  ours 

And  catch  the  light  of  their  clearer  eyes, 

And  wreathe  their  brows  with  immortal  flowers. 

Wherever  a  noble  deed  is  done 

'Tis  the  pulse  of  a  hero's  heart  is  stirred; 

Wherever  the  right  has  a  triumph  won, 

There  are  the  heroes'  voices  heard. 

Edna  Dean  Proctor. 

O  Thou  whose  gifts  are  beyond  words,  Thou  in 
whose  loving  Fatherhood  we  are  content  to  abide, 
help  us  to  know  that  Thou  art  near  us  today,  and 
every  day  of  our  life  on  earth.  Give  us,  we  pray  Thee, 
that  faith  in  the  conquering  power  of  good  deeds  and 
purposes  which  may  enable  us  to  contend  successfully 
against  the  infirmities  and  temptations  to  which  our 
nature  is  subject.  May  a  sense  of  the  true  values  of 
life  keep  us  in  the  faith  appointed  for  us.  May  we 
seek  the  patience  of  Thy  saints  and  the  wisdom  of 
Thy  prophets,  and  the  self-devotion  of  Thy  martyrs, 
and  may  our  worship  give  us  a  place  in  the  great 
Church  Universal  of  love  and  service  forever.  In 
Christ's  name.     Amen. 

Julia  Ward  Howe. 


3Htig  5  189 


One  hot  July  morning  a  boy  was  hoeing  corn  in  a 
field.  Apparently  oblivious  to  the  heat  and  indifferent 
as  to  the  exactions  of  his  toil,  he  whistled  while  he 
ivorked.  A  dust-laden  traveler  stopped  his  horse,  drew 
up  to  the  fence,  and  called  out,  "  Hello,  my  lad,  I  am 
curious  to  know  how  you  can  hoe  corn  on  a  day  like 
this  and  whistle  while  you  work."  "  Well,  sir," 
replied  the  lad,  "  I  don't  know  unless  it  is  that  I  feel 
somehow  that  I  am  a  doin  somethin  that  even  the 
Almighty  couldn't  do  if  I  wasn't  here  to  help  Him." 
What  fine  faith  is  that  !  In  partnership  with  God ! 
So  is  every  honest,  earnest  man  who  does  well  some  work 
that  needs  to  be  done.  How  the  task  is  dignified ! 
There  is  no  drudgery  to  the  man  who  feels  that  he  is 
working  with  God. 

George  L.  Perin. 

Father  of  all,  help  me  to  hear  Thy  high  and  holy 
call  in  every  homely  duty  and  every  humble  task: 
in  the  drudgery  of  housekeeping;  in  the  dreariness 
of  accounts;  in  the  difficulty  of  study;  in  the  hardness 
of  toil;  in  the  competition  of  trade;  in  the  claims  of 
society;  in  the  fight  with  appetite;  in  the  struggle 
with  poverty;  in  the  management  of  wealth;  in  the 
love  of  friends,  in  courtesy  to  foes.  In  all  the  common 
experiences  of  life  help  me  to  see  Thy  love  going 
before  me  to  point  out  the  way  my  love  must  take: 
help  me  to  feel  Thy  strength  within  me  making  hard 
things  easy,  and  translating  the  otherwise  impossible 
into  accomplished  fact.  Amen. 
William  DeWitt  Hyde. 


190  3Htl£  0 


Strive:      Yet  I  do  not  promise 

The  prize  you  dream  of  today 
Will  not  jade  when  you  think  to  grasp  it, 

And  melt  in  your  hand  away; 
But  another  and  holier  treasure, 

You  would  now  perchance  disdain, 
Will  come  when  your  toil  is  over, 

And  pay  you  for  all  your  pain. 

Watt:      Yet  I  do  not  tell  you 

The  hour  you  long  for  now 
Will  not  come  with  its  radiance  vanished, 

And  a  shadow  upon  its  brow; 
Yet  far  through  the  misty  future, 

With  a  crown  of  starry  light, 
An  hour  of  ]oy  you  know  not 

Is  winging  her  silent  flight. 

Adelaide  A.  Procter. 

Infinite  and  loving  God,  my  heavenly  Father,  I 
pause  in  the  evening  hour  that  my  trust  in  Thee  may  be 
strengthened.  Too  much,  I  run  the  race  alone, 
relying  upon  my  own  strength,  taking  satisfaction 
from  the  vantage  ground  of  the  present  hour.  Real- 
izing that  the  race  is  long,  and  coming  upon  the 
difficult  way  I  sometimes  falter.  Help  me  to  press 
on  with  that  energy  and  patience  which  should 
characterize  the  child  who  is  conscious  of  his  divine 
heritage.  Fill  me  with  Thy  spirit,  for  in  likeness 
to  Thee  I  shall  attain  the  true  heart's  desire  and 
accomplish  those  things  that  are  worth  while.  I 
thank  Thee  for  this  moment  of  communication. 
Amen. 

Eugene  L.   Conklin. 


3?ul£  7  191 


/  wonder  if  ever  a  song  was  sung 

But  the  singer's  heart  sang  sweeter! 
I  wonder  if  ever  a  rhyme  was  rung 

But  the  thought  surpassed  the  metre  ! 
I  wonder  if  ever  a  sculptor  wrought 
'Til  the  cold  stone  echoed  his  ardent  thought  ! 
Or  if  ever  a  painter,  with  light  and  shade. 
The  dream  of  his  inmost  heart  portrayed ! 

I  wonder  if  ever  a  rose  was  found, 
And  there  might  not  be  a  fairer ! 

Or  if  ever  a  glittering  gem  was  ground, 
And  we  dreamed  not  of  a  rarer  ! 

Ah  !     Never  on  earth  shall  we  find  the  best ! 

But  it  waits  for  us  in  the  Land  of  Rest; 

And  a  perfect  thing  we  shall  never  behold 

Till  we  pass  the  portal  of  shining  gold. 

James  Clarence  Harney. 


Our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  songs  heard 
in  the  heart,  and  the  fair  creations  seen  in  the  mind, 
this  day.  Though  some  of  them  are  now  too  hard  for 
our  willing  lips  and  hands,  make  them  blessed  proph- 
ecies of  things  to  come.  May  we  not  lose  heart 
because  of  failure  to  do  as  well  as  we  purpose.  May 
we  rejoice  in  vision  that  ever  exceeds  achievement. 
Give  us  either  quietness  or  songs  in  the  night  to 
strengthen  us  for  wider  vision  and  better  deed  to- 
morrow. Help  us  to  wait  and  work  with  courage 
and  patience  for  the  day  when  that  which  is  perfect 
shall  come,  and  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done 
away.  Amen. 
T.  P.  Frost. 


192  3*ttl£  8 


Were  in  a  world  of  choosing  and  beating,  —  or 
getting  beat.  Every  step  of  the  way  we're  letting  some- 
thing get  the  upper  hand,  to  be  the  biggest  part  of  us, 
whether  it's  the  bats  and  owls,  or  the  singing  birds,  or 
the  little  children  of  us,  or  the  growing  angels. 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 

"  Every  little  atom  in  the  whole  world  of  worlds  has 
its  face  towards  God." 

What  do  they  pull  away  for,  then  ?  " 
"  God  gives  them  a  will  of  their  own,  to  go  a  little 
way  of  their  own;  but  they  cannot  get  beyond  His  will. 
The  two  wills  make  the  beautiful,  glad  motions,  and 
all  the  life  and  glory." 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


Dear  Father  in  Heaven,  if  this  day  mystery  and 
doubt  have  been  about  us,  keep  us  steadfast  in  our 
faith.  If  sadness  has  beset  us,  open  to  us,  we  pray 
Thee,  the  way  to  Thine  abiding  peace.  If  joy  has 
been  in  our  hearts,  may  we  not  forget  that,  in  obedi- 
dence  to  Thee  is  the  gladness  that  endures.  Help 
us  to  face  our  own  weakness  and  error,  our  unfaith- 
fulness and  neglect,  and  to  remember  Thine  infinite 
patience  and  strength.  In  Thy  forgiving  love  may 
we  find  inspiration  and  purpose  and  power.  Help 
us  to  seek  diligently  Thy  will  and  way  and  to  make 
Thy  will  ours;  and  help  us  so  to  use  day  by  day  the 
precious  gifts  and  powers  which  Thou  hast  given 
us  that,  through  us  Thy  will  be  done  and  Thy  king- 
dom come  on  earth  as  it  is  in  Heaven.  Amen. 
Warren  S.  Woodbridge. 


3ulj>  9  193 


How  many  different  kinds  of  friends  there  are!  They 
should  all  be  held  close  at  any  cost;  for,  although  some 
are  better  than  others  perhaps,  a  friend  of  whatever 
kind  is  important,  and  this  one  learns  as  he  grows 
older. 

John   D.    Rockefeller 

Travel  as  a  friendly  man  wherever  you  go;  make 
new  friends;  trust  men  as  often  as  possible;  be  glad 
at  every  glow  of  kindly  feeling  that  warms  your  heart; 
look  for  good  and  not  for  evil  in  all  kinds  and  conditions 
of  men.  Find  out  their  best  thought.  The  humblest 
may  teach  you  something.  Praise  whatever  is  good. 
Carry  the  signs  of  a  new  free  masonry.  You  shall  make 
fast  the  ties  which  bind  the  world;  you  shall  put  an 
end  to  war. 

Charles  F.  Dole. 

Our  Father,  as  we  fall  asleep  tonight  in  the  arms 
of  Thy  protecting  love,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  sun- 
light and  joy  that  this  day  has  brought  us.  We 
thank  Thee  for  new  proofs  of  friendship;  for  the 
glints  of  heavenly  light  and  joy  we  have  caught 
from  the  eyes  of  little  children;  for  the  added 
courage  that  has  come  to  us  as  we  have  seen  brave 
and  trustful  men  and  women  uncomplainingly  bear- 
ing their  burdens  of  sorrow;  and  we  praise  Thee 
for  a  clearer  vision  of  "  that  far-off  divine  event  to- 
ward which  the  whole  creation  moves."  Waking  or 
sleeping,  O  God,  may  we  ever  trust  in  Thee!     Amen. 

Frank  C.  Lockwood. 


194  JUl£  10 


The  dear,  long,  quiet  summer  day 

Draws  to  its  close. 
To  the  deep  woods  I  steal  away, 
To  hear  what  the  sweet  thrush  will  say, 

In  her  repose. 

Beside  the  brook,  the  meadow  rue 

Stands,  tall  and  white, 
The  water  softly  slips  along, 
A  murmur  to  the  thrush's  song, 

To  greet  the  night. 

Over  and  over,  like  a  bell, 

Her  song  rings  clear; 
The  trees  stand  still  in  joy  and  prayer, 

Only  the  angels  stir  the  air. 

I  bow  my  head  and  lift  my  heart, 

In  Thy  great  peace, 
Thy  Angelus,  my  God,  I  heed, 
By  the  still  waters  wilt  Thou  lead, 

Till  day  shall  cease. 

Alice  Freeman  Palmer. 

Heavenly  Father,  Thou  art  bringing  us  onward 
a  day  at  a  time.  We  bless  Thee  for  the  black  night 
when  we  can  see  nothing:  it  is  good  for  us  to  have  no 
eyes.  We  bless  Thee  for  letting  down  a  great  curtain 
we  cannot  see  through.  Even  in  the  quietness  of 
the  night,  come  into  our  imagination  and  reveal 
what  our  senses  are  unable  to  comprehend.  In  the 
silence  speak  to  us  as  Thou  only  canst  whisper  to 
the  heart.    Amen. 

Joseph  Parker. 


gmg  u 195 

Fear  not  the  day.      The  cooling  shade 

Shall  rest  your  eyes  and  bless  your  feet; 
The  lark's  voice  crest  the  d  alii  ant  breeze 

That  stirs  within   the  vibrant  heat. 
The  spring  that  trickles  from  the  rock 

Shall  moist  your  throat  and  lave  your  hand; 
The  sun  that  melts  away  your  strength 

Shall  emerald  the  waiting  land. 

Fear  not  the  night.      The  vesper  dews 

Shall  spread  their  pearls  upon  the  plain; 
The  nightingale  shall  wake  and  sing; 

The  hosts  of  stillness  be  your  train. 
The  stars  shall  be  your  steady  torch 

To  light  you   on  your  forward  way, 
And  dawn  shall  lead  you  to  the  gates 

Foreknown  in  dreams  but  yesterday. 

Io  Shamus. 

Venturesome  and  headstrong,  O  Lord,  where  we 
should  have  been  fearful  and  timid,  and  fearful 
where  we  should  have  trusted  in  Thee,  we  pray  that 
Thou  wilt  compassionately  receive  us  at  the  close 
of  this  day.  Surely  Thou  hast  tenderly  and  wonder- 
fully led  us,  filling  our  souls  with  radiance  and  giving 
to  us  strength  and  peace.  Let  us  think  of  all  that 
Thou  hast  shown  us  this  day,  clouds  and  sky,  far- 
stretching  waters,  fruitful  fields;  movement,  order, 
beauty;  throngs  of  men  and  busy  cities,  and  at  the 
evening  hour  beloved  faces.  As  we  consider  it  all,  our 
hearts  rejoice  in  Thee.  Surely,  O  Lord,  Thou  takest 
away  trembling  and  givest  confidence.  Thou  wilt 
make  the  darkness  to  be  light  about  us.  Hear  us,  we 
beseech  Thee,  Thou  who  art  the  Light  of  Life.    Amen. 

William  I.  Haven. 


196  3fttlg  12 

The  little  cares  that  fretted  me 

I  lost  them  yesterday 
Among  the  -fields  above  the  sea, 

Among  the  winds  at  play; 
Among  the  lowing  of  the  herds, 

The  rustling  of  the  trees. 
Among  the  singing  of  the  birds, 

The  humming  of  the  bees. 

The  foolish  fears  of  what  may  happen, 

I  cast  them  all  away 
Among  the  clover-scented  grass, 

Among  the  new-mown  hay; 
Among  the  husking  of  the  corn 

Where  drowsy  poppies  nod, 
Where  ill  thoughts  die  and  good  are  born, 

Out  in  the  fields  with  God. 

Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning. 

Our  Father,  as  we  come  to  Thee  again  tonight 
to  get  in  close  communion  with  Thee  after  another 
day  of  varied  activities,  we  wish  to  thank  Thee  for 
the  opportunities  granted,  for  the  discipline  received, 
and  for  the  instruction  Thou  hast  given  us.  But  we 
must  also  ask  Thy  forgiveness  for  permitting  our 
spirits  to  be  perturbed  by  the  interruptions  in  our  plans 
and  the  cares  which  have  annoyed  us.  Help  us  to  trust 
Thee  fully,  and  to  recognize  Thy  hand  in  all  that  be- 
falls us.  May  we  catch  the  note  of  continuous  praise 
and  trust  that  goes  up  to  Thee  from  the  natural  world 
about  us,  and  never  permit  a  murmuring  discord  to 
sound  forth  from  our  hearts  !  May  the  peace  of  God, 
which  passeth  all  understanding,  guard  our  hearts 
and  our  thoughts  in  Christ  Jesus.     Amen. 

Robert  W.  Beers. 


3Hti|>  13  197 


We  must  be  led.  We  trust  to  be.  But  we  shan't 
be  dragged.  We've  got  to  take  every  single  step  our- 
selves, and  choose  to  take  it  as  it  comes.  Experience 
is  realizing  in  one's  self  what  one  believes.  That 
can't  be  done  in  a  minute,  though  it  is  always  in  some 
minute  that  everything  is  begun.   .  .   . 

What  good  would  it  do  me  to  go  to  heaven,  even, 
.  .  .  if  behind  me  was  a  piece  of  life  unlived,  a  piece 
of  loving  that  I  hadn't  learned  or  done? 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


Father,  Thy  plans  are  far-reaching  and  I  am  but 
a  single  workman;  let  me  not  become  discouraged 
when  I  cannot  see  the  distant  issue  of  my  works 
and  sufferings.  Let  it  ever  be  my  chief  concern  to 
be  one  of  Thy  workmen;  and,  assured  of  this,  to 
toil  on  faithfully;  even  in  darkness  believing  that 
all  honest  endeavor  and  patient  suffering  will  be 
employed  by  Thee  to  bring  to  pass  Thine  all-wise 
designs.  When  clear  vision  is  impossible  and  I  must 
walk  by  faith,  help  me  to  do  so  cheerfully  and  hope- 
fully. Help  me  to  feel  that  I  am  working  for  a  Father 
who  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning;  and  may  I 
find  my  joy  and  my  confidence  in  my  relationship 
to  Thee,  rather  than  in  my  assurance  of  the  value 
and  ultimate  issue  of  my  labors  and  experiences. 
Amen. 

Jamk  D.  Moffat. 


iy3  3*ttl£  14 


"Behold,  all  souls  are  mine,"  saith  the  Lord.  Not 
only  all  saints,  that  goes  without  saying.  The  simple, 
gentle,  pure,  truthful  spirits  that  have  passed  over  — 
the  multitude  that  no  man  can  number  —  they  are 
obviously,  manifestly  His.  But  all  souls,  —  the 
soiled,  the  sinning,  the  degraded,  the  outcast,  —  they, 
too,  are  His.  He  made  them,  He  is  responsible  for 
them,  He  cannot  be  defrauded  of  them,  He  cannot 
lose  them.  Wherever  they  are,  to  whatever  distance 
banished,  He  holds  them,  trains  them,  influences  them, 
unfolds  them,  remelts  them,  effects  their  ultimate  moral 
restitution,  because  they  are  His  and  His  name  is 
Love;  and,  as  Jesus  told  us,  "  no  man  can  snatch 
aught  out  of  His  hand." 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


Father,  we  thank  Thee  that  all  souls  are  Thine: 
Thine  now:  —  Thine  evermore.  Wherever  the  feet 
of  Thy  children  may  tend,  there  are  we  ever  Thine. 
Help  us,  O  Father,  to  feel  this;  to  realize  it  in  our 
lives.  Day  by  day  the  perplexities  of  life  are  with  us; 
yet,  must  we  ever  conquer  in  them,  because  we  are 
Thine  and  Thou  art  with  us.  At  the  close  of  day, 
with  its  tasks  done,  its  burdens  borne,  its  respon- 
sibilities met,  we  turn  to  the  silences  of  the  night 
for  rest  and  refreshment.  Peaceful  shall  be  our 
sleep  for  we  are  with  Thee,  and  in  the  morn  we  shall 
rise  to  greet  the  new-born  day  with  courage  and 
strength,  for  we  know  that  Thou  art  ever  with  us. 
Amen. 

Howard  Burton   Bard. 


3nls  15  190 


Now  came  still  Evening  on,  and  twilight  gray 
Had  in  her  sober  livery  all  things  clad; 
Silence  accompany'd;   for  beast  and  bird, 
They  to  their  grassy  couch,  these  to  their  nests, 
Were  slunk,  all  but  the  wakeful  nightingale; 
She  all  night  her  amorous  descant  sung; 
Silence  was  pleas' d :  now  glowed  the  firmament 
With  living  sapphires;   Hesperus,  that  led 
The  starry  host,  rode  brightest,  till  the  moon, 
Rising  in  clouded  majesty,  at  length 
Apparent  queen  unveil' d  her  peerless  light, 
And  o'er  the  dark  her  silver  mantle  threw. 

Milton. 


Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  quiet  of 
the  evening  and  the  silence  which  steals  in  upon  us 
with  the  growing  gray  of  the  deepening  twilight. 
We  remember  the  words  of  a  day  long  gone  calling 
on  us  to  be  still  and  know  that  Thou  art  God,  and 
we  bless  Thee  that  as  men  of  old  found  Thee  in  the 
breathless  stillness,  so  may  we.  Speak  to  us,  Our 
Father,  as  we  are  wrapt  in  the  mantle  of  this  night's 
silence,  and  may  our  ears  be  so  quick  to  hear  and  our 
hearts  so  swift  to  respond  that  we  shall  be  very  con- 
scious of  Thy  loving  presence  and  filled  with  a  serene 
and  abiding  peace.  Amen. 
Eds«n   Reifsnider. 


2oo  3JtU£  10 


O  ye  who  drive  upon  the  rocks  of  Chance 
Or  drift  upon  the  shoals   of  Circumstance, 
Or  fail  to  reach  the  port  of  high  emprise 
Through,  on  Life's  seas,  some  patient  sacrifice, 
Who,  following  Duty's  beacon   o'er  the  mam, 
Love's  golden  galleon  mark  another  gain, 
Take  heart  !    None  knows  how  fair  the  meed  may  hi 
In  God's  green  islands  of  eternity  I 

Clinton  Scollard. 


O  God,  infinite  in  power,  perfect  in  wisdom, 
unchangeable  in  love,  in  Thy  hands  are  all  our  ways, 
and  the  success  of  our  purposes  proceeds  from  Thee 
alone.  Help  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  never  to  fail  nor 
be  discouraged.  May  ceaseless  change  bring  no 
distrust  of  Thee  with  whom  is  no  variableness  neither 
shadow  of  turning.  In  times  of  darkness  when  we 
see  Thee  not;  but  only  change,  decay,  darkness  and 
death,  even  then  may  our  faith  fail  not;  rather  let 
us  rejoice,  for  the  darkness  and  the  light  are  both 
alike  to  Thee.  Comfort  us  with  the  exceeding  great 
and  precious  promises  of  Thy  word.  By  Thy  gracious 
Spitit  encourage  us  in  the  expectation  of  all  good 
things  from  Thee,  the  God  of  hope,  that  we  may  con- 
tinue and  labor  with  a  cheerful  and  courageous  spirit, 
united  to  Thee  and  to  all  men  with  a  perfect  charity, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Richard  Wright. 


3ul&  17  201 


Happy  the  man  taught  by  the  truth  itself; 

Not  by  the  shapes  and  sounds  that  pass  across  his  life 

But  by  the  very  truth. 

Our  thoughts  and  senses  often  lead  us  wrong; 

They  see  one  side  alone. 

0   God  of  truth, 
Make  me  one  with  Thee  in  eternal  love. 
Oft  am  I  weary,  reading,  listening, 
But  all  I  wish  and  long  for  is  in   Thee. 
Then  silent  be  all  teachers,  hushed  be  all  creation   at 

the  sight  of  Thee: 
S peak  Thou  to  me  alone. 

Thomas  a  Kempis. 

Infinite  God,  our  Father,  guide  us  in  the  way  of 
life.  The  path  is  sometimes  so  rough  and  rugged  and 
uncertain,  we  stumhle  and  are  afraid.  Thou  knowest 
what  is  in  the  darkness,  may  we  see  light  in  Thy 
light.  Guide  us  by  Thy  Spirit  each  day,  and  at 
night  may  we  lie  down  as  in  Thine  arms  of  love. 
As  we  have  received  the  light,  may  we  walk  in  the 
light,  and  may  we  have  fellowship  with  the  Father 
and  with  His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord.  Deliver 
us  from  evil;  and  save  us  from  all  insincerity,  and 
error,  and  unworthy  purposes.  May  we  know  the 
truth  which  liberates  and  makes  free,  and  in  the 
liberty  of  the  children  of  God,  may  we  walk  to- 
morrow and  every  day,  knowing  that  Thou  art  with 
us  and  for  us;  and  that  "  if  God  be  for  us,  who 
can  be  against  us  ?  "  Amen. 
Joshua  Stansfield. 


202  3ttl£    18 


Where  do  you  go  with  a  face  so  bright  ? 
I  seek  the  Bourne  of  the  Fadeless  Light. 

And  what  if  the  end  be  distant  far  ? 

Still,  the  sunset  peace  and  the  evening  star. 

But  ever  at  eve  the  sunset  dies  ! 
Yet  memory  lives  and  hope  defies. 

And  what  if  the  end  be  death   at  last? 
Not  death,  but  life,  with  the  shadow  past. 

Who  are  you,  Spirit,  with  heart  so  true? 
I  was  once  your  dream,  and  I  might  be  —  you. 
Howard  Arnold  Walter. 


Spirit  of  the  Infinite  and  All  Infolding  Life,  into 
the  repose  of  this  evening  hour  I  gather  all  the  for- 
tunes of  this  day,  and  in  each  and  every  one  of  them 
I  would  discover  some  reflection  or  token  of  the 
eternal  purpose  which  Thou  dost  cherish  for  me  in 
Thine  infinite  heart.  The  brightness  of  the  morning 
wreathing  all  the  world  with  smiles  and  quickening 
the  elastic  step,  the  faith  and  hope  stealing  into  the 
strokes  of  industry  or  animating  the  more  quiet 
tasks,  the  shadows  of  evening  and  that  other  shadow 
which  falls  across  the  paths  of  all  men.  Through 
these  and  all  other  experiences  may  I  find  Thee,  O 
Infinite  Life,  and  finding  Thee  I  shall  find  my  greater 
self  in  the  Infinite  Child  of  an  Imperishable  Love. 
Herein  will  I  rest  and  find  inspiration  for  all  the 
life  I  live.     Amen. 

E.  L.   Rexford. 


3n\S  19  203 


A  perfect  day  !     I  tried  to  bold  it  fast; 

To  make  each  hour  my  own,  and  sip  its  sweets, 

As  if  it  were  a  flower,  and  I   its   bee. 

No  one  should  come  between   me   and  my  joy, 

My  will  should  rule  my   actions  for  one  day. 

Ah,  yes  !    it  slipped  away,  its  secret  kept, 

And  hid  from  me  behind  the  sunset  clouds. 

Another  day:     "  God  help   me  use  the  hours  !  " 
/  said,  "And  let  Thy  will  be  done,  not  mine." 
I  watched  if  might  be  someone  needed  help, 
If  I  might  speak  a  word  of  cheer,  or  give 
A   hand,  or  even   softly  step   where  wounds 
Were  aching.      Day  of  sweet  revealing  !      When 
It  passed,  it  left  its  perfume  in  my  heart. 

M.  F.  Butts. 

Gracious  Father,  this  day  the  creation  of  Thy 
wisdom  and  the  gift  of  Thy  love  has  brought  blessing 
to  my  life  and  gladness  to  my  heart.  The  hours  have 
revealed  fresh  evidences  of  Thy  good  will  to  me  and 
to  those  I  love.  Its  opportunities  for  serving  other 
lives  have  not  passed  wholly  unimproved,  and  this 
thought  brings  peace  of  mind  and  refreshment  of 
spirit.  Do  Thou  forgive  in  the  days  that  are  gone 
any  sins  of  omission  in  ministering  to  the  needy, 
and  my  failures  in  all  social  duties.  May  Thy  Spirit 
guard  me  through  the  night,  and  at  the  dawn  of 
another  new  day  fill  me  with  the  desire  to  do  more 
for  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  others,  that  thus 
I  may  become  a  truer  disciple  of  the  Master  and 
worthier  of  Thy  loving  care.    Amen. 

I.  J.   Mead. 


2°4  3Jttl£  20 


In  many  persons,  and  not  in  poets  only,  a  beautiful 
sunrise,  or  a  gorgeous  sunset,  or  the  starry  heavens  on 
a  cloudless  night,  create  moral  impressions,  and  some- 
thing more;  these  sights  suggest  to  them,  if  vaguely 
yet  powerfully,  the  presence  of  Him  from  whom  came 
both  Nature  and  the  emotions  it  awakens.  The  tender 
lights  that  fleet  over  sea  and  sky  are  to  them 

"  Signalings  from  some  high  land 
Of  one  they  feel,  but  dimly  understand." 

J.  C.  Shairp. 


Heavenly  Father,  by  whom  all  things  were  made, 
help  me  to  see  in  all  the  glory  of  Thy  wonderful 
world  some  dim  foreshadowing  of  the  splendor  of 
Thy  presence,  and  grant  that,  as  I  lay  me  down  to 
rest  tonight,  my  soul,  filled  with  the  beauty  of  this 
material  universe,  may  gain  in  quiet  communion 
with  Thee  some  deeper  insight  into  Thy  love  so 
that  I  may  be  more  fit  to  dwell  with  Thee.    Amen. 

Robert  H.  Gardiner. 


3Htl£  21  205 


Is  it  not  meant  that  everyone  should  see 
God's  wondrous  miracles  in   night  and  day, 
Sunshine  and  shower,  cloud,  star-gemmed  canopy, 
As  speeds  our  globe  its  never-ending  way? 

All  laws  of  nature  are  His  gifts  divine, 
God-given  to  all  alike.      Yet  some  but  stare 
And  sec  naught  beautiful  and  so  repine; 
While  happier  souls  find  His  touch  everywhere. 

Judith  Spencer. 


I  praise  and  bless  Thee  this  night,  my  Heavenly 
Father,  for  a  sense  of  Thy  presence.  The  life  of 
forest,  field  and  stream,  the  faces  of  my  friends,  the 
light  of  sun  and  stars,  the  passing  cloud,  and  every 
form  or  motion  in  the  outward  world  but  manifest 
the  operation  of  Thy  power  and  wisdom.  How  gladly 
I  resign  myself  to  Thy  gracious  keeping.  May  all 
my  faults  be  covered  by  Thy  pardoning  mercy, 
and  every  good  be  chastened  and  perfected  by  re- 
newing grace;  and  when  the  darkness  shall  once 
more  have  been  chased  from  off  the  face  of  nature 
by  the  growing  day  may  I  arise  refreshed  and  strength- 
ened for  a  better  service  and  a  truer  joy.  Amen. 
William  T.  Beale. 


206  3Jttl2  22 


A  weaver  standing  at  his  loom  one  day, 
Wrought  with  uncertain  hand  some  strange  design; 
A  tangled  mesh  it  seemed,  line  blurring  line, 
Unsutted  contrasts  —  warp  and  woof  astray 
Sometimes  he  paused,  and  pushed  his  work  away, 

The  task  is  hopeless,"  said  he,  and  sighed, 
But  patiently  resumed;    and  one  by  one 
The  broken  threads  were  mended. 

When   'twas  done 
He  turned  the  frame,  and  lo  !      Upon   that  side 
A  radiant  light  his  startled  eyes  did  greet, 
What  seemed  confusion   had  been   hidden  law, 
And  the  designers  dream  at  last  he  saw, 
Resulting,  lovely,  perfect  and  complete  ! 

Lord  Houghton. 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  our  loving  Provider,  and 
Helper,  we  have  finished  another  portion  of  our 
day's  work  for  Thee,  and  for  our  generation.  Through 
the  warp  of  time  which  Thou  hast  unrolled  in  the 
loom  of  life,  we  have  flung  the  shuttle  of  free  will, 
carrying  the  thread  of  destiny,  and  weaving  the 
web  of  experience  after  the  pattern  of  Christ  Jesus. 
The  warp  is  Thine,  the  weft  is  ours,  and  we  are 
so  weak,  so  wilful,  and  so  wavering.  O  God,  grant 
that  the  piece  of  work  we  have  done  today  may 
not  make  us  ashamed  when  it  is  outspread  in  the 
white  light  of  Thy  judgment  throne.  We  pray  for 
mercy,  for  Thy  loving  kindness  endureth  forever. 
Let  Thy  arms  be  under  us,  Thy  face  over  us  this 
night.     Amen. 

Robert  McIntvrb. 


3Jttl»  23  207 


Be  glad  of  life  with  its  chances  to  be 
A  brave  and  cheerful  toiler  of  earth; 

With  a  little  play, 

Mixed  in  by  the  way, 
Make  others  glad  for  the  day  of  your  birth. 

Be  glad  of  life  with  its  chances  to  know 

Of  the  best  things,  the  bright,  the  good,  the  true; 

Then  climb  to  the  heights 

Of  the  soul's  delights, 
And  seek  and  find  all  there  waiting  for  you. 


Be  glad  of  life  with  its  chances  to  love: 
For  loving  is  living  on  mountain   height 

Where  the  air  is  clear  — 

Heaven  s  atmosphere,  — 
And  breathing  and  being  a  pure  delight. 

Ophelia  G.  Burroughs. 

O  God,  Thou  art  the  Source  of  the  solemn  mystery 
of  existence.  By  Thy  fatherly  love  have  I  enjoyed 
another  day  with  its  manifold  possibilities  of  trial 
and  triumph,  gladness  and  gloom.  I  thank  Thee 
for  this  day's  token  of  Thy  continued  care.  I  thank 
Thee  for  health  and  strength,  for  happiness  gained 
and  given.  And  as  I  am  about  to  yield  to  the  serene 
rest  of  another  night,  I  commit  my  spirit  praying 
that  Thou  wilt  guard  and  restore  my  soul.  If  the 
sweet  rest  of  this  night  enables  and  leads  me  so  to 
live,  may  mine  be  the  enjoyment  of  the  conscious- 
ness of  Thy  special  protection  1     Amen. 

Alexander  Lyons. 


208  3Jttl£  24 


Let  us  never  say  "  I  have  no  money,"  "  I  have  no 
time,"  "  I  have  no  friends,"  "  I  have  no  power," 
"  I  have  no  opportunities."  We  should  live  in  the 
thought  of  opulence  in  all  these  things. 

Charles  B.  Newcomb. 


Yes,  indeed  I'm  rich,"  said  Hiram.  "  Look  at 
the  sky  up  there  !  Ain't  that  mine  ?  Don't  I  have  the 
use  of  it  while  I  live  ?  No,  I  don't  exactly  own  it, 
but  then  my  Father  owns  it,  and  what  my  Father  owns 
I  have  a  right  to  enjoy." 

George  H.  Hepworth. 


Almighty  God,  from  whom  cometh  every  good 
and  perfect  gift:  we  come  into  Thy  presence  this 
evening,  sure  in  the  knowledge  that  the  heirs  of  God 
receive  from  the  Father's  boundless  store  more  than 
either  they  desire  or  deserve.  Accept  our  humble 
thanks  for  all  the  wealth  with  which  Thou  hast 
endowed  us,  —  for  sunlight  and  earth  and  sky,  for 
the  glad  beauty  of  the  day  and  the  silent  peace  of 
the  night;  for  the  riches  of  Thy  love  and  the  grace 
of  Thy  Holy  Spirit.  Help  us  to  remember  that,  as 
we  go  to  our  rest  Thy  bounty  ceaseth  not;  but  in 
sleep  Thou  givest  to  Thy  beloved.  And  may  we, 
as  faithful  stewards,  use  all  the  riches  Thou  hast 
given  us  to  Thy  glory  and  the  good  of  our  fellowmen. 
Amen. 

John  M.  Foster. 


3?ttlJ>  25  209 


Was  it  long  ago,  or  was  it  but  yesterday,  that  we 
prayed  for  strength  to  perform  a  certain  duty,  to  bear 
a  certain  burden,  to  overcome  a  certain  temptation,  and 
received  its'  Do  we  dream  that  the  Divine  force  was 
exhausted  in  answering  that  one  prayers'  No  more 
than  the  great  river  is  exhausted  by  turning  the  wheels 
of  one  mill.  Put  it  to  the  proof  again  with  today's 
duty,  today's  burden,  today's  temptation.  Thrust 
yourself  further  and  deeper  into  the  stream  of  God's 
power,  and  feel  it  again,  as  you  have  felt  it  before,  able 
to  do  exceeding  abundantly.    Remember  and  trust. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 

O  God,  the  lamp  of  our  experience  maketh  bright 
this  eventide.  Memory  is  counting  up  her  treasures. 
Blessed  pictures  of  the  past  are  in  review.  We  see, 
again,  the  day  when  first,  in  full  consciousness  and 
torment  of  guilt,  we  knelt  alone  in  prayer  to  Thee, 
and  arose  from  that  tryst  in  assurance  of  forgiveness, 
and  experience  of  peace.  Here,  too,  is  the  day  when 
at  the  parting  of  the  ways  we  stood,  and  knew  not 
how  to  choose  our  life  work,  but  Thou  didst  direct 
cur  steps  and  we  found  the  path  of  helpfulness. 
Another  day  we  were  bereaved,  burdened,  and  amid 
the  shadows  readv  to  die.  Tt  was  Thy  hand,  O 
our  Father,  that  upheld  us,  and  Thy  grace  which  has 
renewed  our  minds  to  this  present  hour.  Surely  we 
are  as  those  to  whom  Thou  givest  songs  in  the  night. 
And  tomorrow,  O  God,  tomorrow  and  every  day 
of  life,  may  we  add  to  our  experience  such  fulness  of 
trust,  that  Thy  word  may  go  before  us,  a  light  to 
our  feet  and  a  lamp  to  our  path,  even  forevermore. 
Amen. 

William  H.   McGlauflin. 


2io  3fttl£  26 


Forget  thyself  and  all  thy  woes, 
Put  out  each  feverish   light ; 

The  stars   are  watching   overhead; 

Sleep  sweet.     Good  night  !     Good  night  ! 
Anonymous. 

Leave  God  to  order  all  thy  ways, 
And  trust  in  Him  whate'er  betide; 

Thou  It  find  Him  in  the  evil  days 
An  all-sufficient  strength  and  guide. 

Only  your  restless  heart  keep  still, 
And  wait  in  cheerful  hope,  content 

To  take  whate'er  his  gracious  will, 
His  all-discerning  love,  has  sent. 

Who  trusts  in  God's  unchanging  love 
Builds  on  a  rock  that  cannot  move. 

Georg  Neumark 


Our  Father,  in  the  evening  hour,  inviting  to  medita- 
tion and  prayer,  we  pray  that  we  may  be  conscious 
of  Thee.  Thou  givest  unto  us  the  blessing  of  work 
and  it  is  to  Thee  that  we  raise  our  hearts  in  thanks- 
giving for  the  benediction  of  rest.  May  our  sleep 
be  sweet  and  our  rest  refreshing,  because  we  have 
tried  to  do  well  the  duties  of  the  day.  And  when  the 
morrow  comes  may  it  be  our  portion  to  find  joy  in 
the  work  of  the  new  day,  and  the  peace  that  comes 
as  a  reward  of  faithfulness.    Amen. 

Thomas  Edward  Potterton. 


3Wg  27 211 

Where  there  is  Faith,  there  is  Love; 
Where  there  is  Love,  there  is  Peace; 
Where  there  is  Peace,  there  is  God. 
Where  there  is  God,  there  is  no  need. 

Anonymous. 

/  longed  for  love,  and  eager  to  discover 

Its  hiding  place,  I  wandered  far  and  wide; 

And  as  forlorn  I  sought  the  lone  world  over, 
Unrecognized,  love  journeyed  at  my  side. 

I  craved  for  peace,  and  priceless  years  expended 
In  unrewarded  search  from  shore  to  shore; 

But  home  returned,  the  weary  seeking  ended, 

Peace  welcomed  me  where  dwelt  my  peace  of  yore  ! 
Florence  Earle  Coates. 

To  Thee,  my  Heavenly  Father,  I  come  at  this 
evening  hour  with  no  note  of  complaint  to  sound, 
and  with  no  disposition  to  doubt  Thy  love.  Forgive 
me  for  failing  to  perceive  Thy  presence  in  the  hour 
of  darkness  and  sorrow  as  truly  as  in  the  hour  of 
light  and  joy.  Thou  hast  not  hidden  from  me: 
Thou  art  nearer  than  hands  or  feet.  Thou  art 
in  my  home  and  in  my  business.  Thou  art  in 
the  commonplace.  In  the  love  of  parent  and  child, 
and  husband  and  wife,  and  brother  and  sister,  and 
friend  and  neighbor;  Thou  art  here.  To  Thee  I 
come  in  faith  and  love.  I  am  humble  before  Thee. 
I  am  amazed  at  Thy  longsuffering  and  patience 
with  me.  I  shall  wander  no  more.  In  Christ,  Thou 
art  by  my  side.  My  soul  radiates  with  Thy  light; 
overflows  with  Thy  joy;  dwells  in  Thy  love,  and  rests 
in  Thy  peace.    I  am  in  Thee.    Amen. 

Charles  H.  Rust. 


2i2  3?Ul£  28 


Into  the  silent  starless  Night  before-  us, 

Naked  we  glide: 
No  hand  has  mapped  the  constellations  o'er  us, 

No  comrade  at  our  side, 

No  chart,  no  guide. 

Yet  fearless  toward  that  midnight,  black  and  hollow, 

Our  footsteps  fare: 
The  beckoning  of  a  Father's  hand  we  follow  — 

His  love  alone  is  there, 

No  curse,  no  care. 

Edward  Rowland  Sill. 


Our  Father,  whose  gracious  Spirit  broods  over  us 
at  all  times,  we  come  to  Thee  at  the  close  of  this  day 
grateful  for  its  blessings.  We  thank  Thee  that  the 
light  of  Thy  love  shines  through  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  and  that  in  our  unconscious  moments  we  are 
in  Thy  care.  Fearlessly  we  lay  aside  the  duties  of 
the  day,  for  we  know  that  Thou  dost  give  peace  and 
rest.  We  pray  for  such  faith  in  Thee  that  our  slumbers 
may  be  untroubled  by  any  worldly  anxiety,  so  that 
the  new  day  may  find  us  refreshed  and  strengthened, 
awake  to  Thy  call,  and  ready  for  service  in  the  Spirit 
of  the  Master.     Amen. 

Samuel  Gilbert  Ayres. 


3Htl£  29  213 


/,  too,  have  been  a  dreamer,  —  /  have  knelt 
To  truth  and  beauty  in  Orcadian  meads, 

The  rapture  of  the  poet  I  have  felt 

And  all  his  keen  desire  for  noble  deeds. 

And,  though  my  money-minded  neighbor  deems 
Of  little  worth  the  things  that  I  have  done, 

Far  dearer  to  the  dreamer  are  his  dreams 

Than  all  the  wealth  by  worldly  wisdom  won. 

Denis  A.  McCarthy. 


Our  Father  who  art  everywhere,  for  a  moment  we 
would  pause  before  the  rest  and  sleep  of  the  night 
to  think  over  what  this  day,  now  closing,  has  brought 
us  from  Thee.  We  have  labored  at  the  tasks  that 
we  found  to  do.  Accept  our  offering  of  labor,  and 
bless  it.  Bless  Thou  also  our  offering  of  this  day's 
efforts,  though  we  may  not  have  toiled  with  our 
hands.  Bless,  O  God,  the  noble  thoughts  enter- 
tained by  us  this  day.  We  bring  before  Thee  this 
evening  empty  hands,  perhaps,  but  full  hearts  and 
lives  made  richer  and  truer  because  of  what  we  have 
longed  for,  and  what  we  have  felt  and  seen  in  the 
deeper  experiences  of  the  soul.  We  know  no  day 
is  a  lost  one  when  our  endeavor  is  made  as  for  Thee. 
Now,  as  we  go  to  our  nightly  repose,  may  Thy  peace 
fill  all  our  hearts.    Amen. 

Theodore  A.   Fisher. 


2i4  3htlj>  30 


The  little  sharp  vexations, 
And  the  briars,  that  catch  and  fret, 
Why  not  take  them  to  the  Helper, 
Who  has  never  jailed  us  yet? 

Tell  Him  about  the  heart-ache, 
And  tell  Him   the  longings  too, 
And  tell  Htm  the  baffled  purpose, 
When  we  scarce  knew  what  to  do. 

Then  leaving  all  our  weakness, 
With  the  One,  divinely  strong, 
Forget  that  we  bore  the  burden, 
And  carry  away  the  song. 

Phillips  Brooks. 

Father,  I  thank  Thee  that  Thou  art  our  refuge. 
When  I  remember  the  greatness  of  Thy  love,  and 
all  Thy  mercies,  then  fears  and  disappointments 
and  troubles  fall  away,  and  my  heart  is  filled  with 
comfort  and  peace.  I  remember  with  shame  my 
shortcomings,  but  Thou  art  waiting  to  forgive  them. 
Help  me  to  live  tomorrow  better  than  today, 
to  bear  my  trials  more  sweetly,  to  fulfil  my  duties 
more  nobly,  to  win  larger  victories.  Thou  who  canst 
make  the  storm  a  calm,  let  there  be  calm  within  my 
soul,  —  the  calm  of  perfect  trust  in  Thee.  Grant 
sweet  visions  of  faith  through  the  darkness  and  the 
night,  while  I  commend  myself  and  all  that  I  have 
and  all  that  I  hold  dear  to  Thy  care  and  keeping. 
Amen. 

Abram  Con  klin. 


3htlfi  31  215 


What  will  you  say  to  the  man  who  has  jailed  it: 
business,  or  who  has  faded  in  his  moral  life  F  You 
must  not  mock  him  with  even  well-meant  reproaches. 
Answer  him  as  Napoleon  is  said  to  have  answered 
one  of  his  marshals.  The  marshal  rode  up  and  said, 
General,  I  fear  that  the  battle  is  lost."  Napoleon 
coolly  looked  at  his  watch  and  replied:  "  Time  for 
another  battle.  Summon  the  army  to  a  fresh  charge." 
I  do  rot  know  what  you  will  say  to  the  man  who  has 
failed,  but  I  know  what  I  will  say.  I  will  say,  "  Never 
mind,  dear  friend;  in  God's  economy,  no  failure  is 
ever  final.    You  and  God  must  win  at  last." 

George  L.  Perin. 


Heavenly  Father,  again  and  again  in  deep  humilia- 
tion we  have  seen  our  hopes  fail  and  cur  plans  fall 
asunder.  Again  and  again  the  nigl.t  has  ccme  on 
and  found  us  in  some  valley  of  despair.  Yet  with  all 
the  memory  of  our  defeats  and  the  consciousness  of 
our  humiliation,  we  come  to  Thee  again  with  hope. 
Help  us  to  see  that  the  battle  of  life  is  never  lost  to 
him  who  has  the  courage  to  face  the  foe.  Let  us  go 
forth  once  more  with  full  faith  that  in  Thy  providence 
no  failure  is  ever  final.  So  at  last  shall  cur  souls 
triumph  and  our  lives  be  crowned.     Amen. 

George  L.   Perin. 


2i6  ®UQUUt  I 


The  peasant  stands  beside  his  field, 
His  brow  contracted  from  displeasure; 

'  I  have,"  he  argues,   "  tilled  the  land, 
Have  taken  care  pure  seed  to  measure; 
And  now,  see  here,  weeds  everywhere  — 
The  devil  must  have  put  them  there  !  " 

Up  bounds  the  boy  in  high  delight, 
Gay-colored  flowers  his  arms  up-piling, 

Cornflowers  and  poppies,  cockles  too, 
All  from  the  field;    and  he  shouts,  smiling, 

1  See,  father,  see,  how  rich,  how  rare  ! 

The  dear  God  must  have  put  them  there  ! ' 

Lizzie  Deas. 


O  God,  our  Father,  we  are  glad  that  this  is  Thy 
world  and  that  all  its  affairs  are  in  Thy  hands.  Thou 
art  able  to  make  things  that  seem  evil  work  good  in 
some  way.  Thou  canst  so  order  the  events  which  to 
one  are  troubles  and  annoyances  that  they  shall  give 
pleasure  and  happiness  to  others.  Help  us  always  to 
find  the  good  in  our  circumstances.  Give  us  a  wider 
view  of  life  so  that  we  may  not  see  things  only  from 
our  own  viewpoint,  but  see  them  with  others'  eyes 
as  well.  May  we  be  glad  that  others  are  made  happy 
even  if  we  have  inconvenience  and  discomfort.  Give 
us  the  love  for  all  men  that  shall  make  us  willing  to 
suffer  loss  ourselves  that  others  may  be  benefited. 
Amen. 

J.  R.  Miller. 


&U0tt0t  2  217 


Keep  a  song  in  your  heart;    it  will  lighten 

The  duty  you  hold  in  your  hand; 
Its  music  will  graciously  brighten 

The  work  your  high  purpose  has  planned. 
Tour  notes  to  the  lives  that  are  saddened 

May  make  them  to  hopefully  yearn, 
And  earth  shall  be  wondrously  gladdened 

By  songs  they  shall  sing  in  return. 

Keep  a  task  in  your  hands;    you  must  labor, 

By  toil  is  true  happiness  won; 
For  foe  and  for  friend  and  for  neighbor, 

Rejoice,  there  is  much  to  be  done. 
Endeavor,  by  crowning  life's  duty, 

With  joy-giving  song  and  with  smile, 
To  make  the  world  fuller  of  beauty 

Because  you  were  in  it  a  while. 

Anonymous. 


Ever  blessed  Father,  let  us  abide  this  night  beneath 
the  shadow  of  Thy  conscious  presence.  Strengthen 
us  in  our  weakness,  shed  light  into  our  darkness, 
guide  us  in  our  perplexities,  increase  our  love  for 
Thee,  and  for  all  that  Thou  dost  love.  Let  us  lie 
down  with  such  perfect  trust  and  peace,  that  we  may 
rise,  refreshed,  with  a  song  in  our  hearts,  to  the  tasks 
of  the  new  day.  So  may  Thy  kingdom  come  and  Thy 
will  be  done  in  us.    Amen. 

J.  M.  Thoburn. 


218  ®UQU8t  3 

Upon  the  sadness  of  the  sea 
The  sunset  broods  regretfully; 
From  the  far  lonely  spaces,  slow 
Withdraws  the  wistful  afterglow. 

So  out  of  life  the  splendor  dies; 
So  darken  all  the  happy  skies; 
So  gathers  twilight,  cold  and  stern; 
But  overhead  the  planets  burn; 

And  up  the  east  another  day 
Shall  chase  the  bitter  dark  away; 
What  though  our  eyes  with  tears  be  wet  ? 
The  sunrise  never  failed  us  yet. 

The  blush  of  dawn  may  yet  restore 
Our  light  and  hope  and  joy  once  more. 
Sad  soul,  take  comfort,  nor  forget 
That  sunrise  never  failed  us  yet. 

Celia  Thaxter. 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  in  this  hour  of  sadness 
to  rise  above  the  clouds  that  we  may  behold  Thee 
on  Thy  throne,  so  cognizant  of  the  minutest  acts  of 
our  lives  and  so  tender  in  Thy  care  for  us  that  we  may 
yield  ourselves  up  to  the  slumber  of  the  night  with  a 
consciousness  that  we  are  nestling  in  Tby  bosom  and 
that,  as  the  God  of  all  comfort,  Thou  wilt  make  our 
tomorrow  a  day  of  sunshine  and  gladness.  May 
not  our  sadness  estrange  us  from  Thee,  but  may  it 
prompt  an  exercise  of  greater  care  and  stimulate 
greater  activity  that  the  thought  of  our  mind  and  the 
desire  of  our  heart  may  be  toward  Thee.  Cause  Thy 
face  to  shine  upon  us  and  bless  us.    Amen. 

T.  N.  Boyle. 


SUtflttSt  4  219 


/  have  stood  upon  Mount  Holyoke  when  I  heard 
the  thunder  below;  and  I  have  seen  men  traveling  up 
the  side,  and  making  haste  to  get  out  of  the  storm.  I, 
standing  higher  than  they,  escaped  both  the  rain,  the 
wind,  and  the  roaring  thunder;  and  they,  going  up 
through  the  storm,  got  on  the  top,  and  were  also  free 
from  it.  Many,  many  storms  there  are  that  lie  low, 
and  hug  the  ground;  and  the  way  to  escape  them  is 
to  go  up  the  mountain  side,  and  get  higher  than  they 
are. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Our  Father,  grant  unto  us  the  spirit  of  aspiration 
and  trust.  May  we  seek  escape  from  the  perplexities 
and  annoyance  of  life  in  the  upper  altitudes  of  faith. 
If  love  meets  with  disappointment,  may  we  love  more. 
If  hope  is  baffled  in  its  desires,  may  we  look  for  larger 
things.  If  our  poor  labors  for  righteousness  or  reform 
seem  to  be  lost  in  a  storm  of  prejudice,  may  we  re- 
member that  the  truth  still  shines  above  the  clouds. 
May  we  never  lose  our  confidence  in  Thee.  May 
belief  grow  brighter  as  life  lengthens.  May  our  path 
be  one  that  "shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day."     Amen. 

George  H.  Ferris. 


2  20 


MUQU8t  5 


'Tis  late  at  night,  and  in  the  realm  of  sleep 
My  little  lambs  are  folded  like  the  flocks; 
From  room  to  room  I  hear  the  wakeful  clocks 
Challenge  the  passing  hour,  like  guards   that   keep 

Their  solitary  watch  on  tower  and  steep; 
Far  off  I  hear  the  crowing  of  the  cocks, 
And   through   the   opening   door   that   time    unlocks 
Feel  the  fresh  breathing  of  Tomorrow  creep. 

Tomorrow  !  the  mysterious,  unknown  guest, 
Who  cries  to  me:  Remember  Barmecide, 
And  tremble  to  be  happy  with  the  rest." 

And  I  make  answer:    "  /  am  satisfied; 
I  dare  not  ask;    I  know  not  what  is  best; 
God  hath  already  said  what  shall  betide." 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 


Our  Father,  we  have  a  little  faith  but  we  desire 
that  which  will  remove  the  mountain  difficulties. 
We  have  a  little  love  but  we  desire  the  passion  for 
service.  We  have  a  little  zeal  but  so  often  without 
knowledge.  We  have  some  patience;  grant  us  that 
measure  of  patience  which  will  enable  us  to  endure 
to  the  end.  Open  our  blind  eyes  to  see  values  as 
the  Master  saw  them,  the  place  of  the  material,  the 
worth  of  a  child  and  the  riches  of  human  ministry  and 
fellowship.  Bless,  we  beseech  Thee,  all  toilers  of 
the  night,  the  unrequited,  those  who  work  without 
joy  or  love-compensations,  and  speed  the  dawn  of  the 
tomorrow  when  in  all  the  world  none  shall  hurt  or 
destroy  or  hate.  Our  hearts  are  filled  with  un- 
quenchable hope,  for  we  have  always  with  us  Thy 
Pledge  of  Love  in  whose  name  we  pray.     Amen. 

Charles  Luther  Kloss. 


&u0tt0t  a  221 


/  remember  reading  an  incident  once  about  a  little 
girl  whose  father  was  a  minister.  She  had  cut  her 
finger,  and  rushed  into  the  study,  where  perhaps  her 
father  was  writing  his  sermon,  and  he  said,  "  Run 
away,  run  away:  I  can't  be  bothered  or  troubled  now." 
And  she  goes  away;  and  by  and  by,  possibly  with  a 
touch  of  penitence  in  his  mind,  he  says  to  her,  when 
he  meets  her  again:  "  You  know  I  was  very  busy,  and 
I  couldn't  do  anything.  You  had  hurt  your  finger. 
I  couldn't  change  that  fact  any:  I  couldn't  do  anything." 
And  she  said,  "  Yes,  papa,  you  could  have  done  some- 
thing:   You  could  have  said  '  Oh  I    "     Simply  saying, 

Oh  !  "  sometimes  has  a  mighty  power  to  lift  a  burden 
that  is  crushing  the  heart. 

Minot  J.  Savage. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  as  the  shadows  of  evening 
draw  near,  may  we  feel  that  Thy  arms  of  love  are 
ever  encircling  us.  We  thank  Thee  for  what  the  day 
has  brought  forth,  whether  of  joy  or  sorrow;  and,  in 
the  silent  watches  of  the  night  we  know  that  Thy 
goodness  is  never  withheld.  In  small  things  as  well 
as  in  great  is  the  consciousness  of  Thy  constant 
sympathy  always  ours.  We  are  Thy  children.  All 
our  manifold  needs  are  clear  as  light  to  Thee.  Some- 
times the  desires  we  express  may  seem  of  little  worth 
to  the  uncomprehending  heart;  but  to  Thy  infinite 
compassion  they  appeal,  and  call  for  instant  reply. 
So  watch  over  us,  we  pray  Thee,  that  our  trust  in 
the  divine  leading  may  deepen  as  the  shadows  deepen, 
and  give  us  strength  for  the  daily  task.    Amen. 

Edmund  Q.   S.   Osgood. 


222  UttgttSt    7 

Only  a  •whispering  gale 
Flutters  the  wings  of  a  boat; 
Only  a  bird  in  the  vale 
Lends  to  the  silence  a  note 
Mellow,  subdued,  and  remote: 
This   is  the  twilight  of  peace, 
This  is  the  hour  of  release, 
Free  of  all  worry  and  fret, 
Clean  of  all  care  and  regret, 
When  like  a  bird  in  its  nest 
Fancy  lies  folded  to  rest. 

This  is  the  margin  of  sleep; 
Here  let  the  anchor  be  cast; 
Here  in  forgetfulness  deep, 
Now  that  the  journey  is  past, 
Lower  the  sails  from  the  mast. 
Here  is  the  bay  of  content, 
Heaven   and  earth  interblent; 
Here  is  the  haven  that  lies 
Close  to  the  gates  of  surprise; 
Here  all  like  Paradise  seems  — 
Here  is  the  harbor  of  dreams. 

Frank  Dempster  Sherman. 

Heavenly  Father,  we  acknowledge  Thy  goodness 
to  us  in  the  day  that  is  now  drawing  to  its  close. 
We  thank  Thee  for  its  inspirations  and  for  its 
discipline,  for  all  of  its  joys  and  accomplishments. 
And  now  that  the  shadows  gather,  we  praise  Thee 
for  the  promise  of  the  night.  Forgive  us  our  sins,  and 
may  our  lying  down  bring  us  rest  and  peace,  and  when 
the  morning  comes,  may  we  be  ready  for  the  new  duties 
that  shall  meet  us.    Amen. 

Clarence  E.  Rice. 


£U0tt0t  8  223 


The  man  is  blessed  who  every  day  is  permitted  to 
behold  anything  so  pure  and  serene  as  the  western  sky 
at  sunset  while  revolutions  vex  the  world. 

Henry  D.  Thoreau. 


When  the  sun  is  in  the  west, 
And  with  backward  smiling  goes, 
Then  the  past  is  flushed  with  rose. 
Clouds  that  have  been  stormy-heaped 
Rest  in  tranquil  purples  steeped; 
Where  with  white-hot  stress  and  strain 
Peace  spreads  azure  calms  again. 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 


O  Thou,  Giver  of  the  day  and  its  beauty  and  joy, 
its  friendly  work,  its  wholesome  cares  and  cheerful 
fellowships,  we  come  now  at  nightfall  for  rest  and  the 
refreshment  of  sleep.  We  lift  up  our  hearts  to  Thy 
sky  and  the  stars.  We  trust  ourselves  and  all  dear 
friends  to  Thy  continual  love  and  watchfulness. 
The  darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  Thee; 
they  are  alike  good  for  Thy  children.  May  we  lie 
down  to  rest  with  happy  thoughts,  free  of  doubt  or 
fear,  and  rise  again  with  another  new  day,  glad  to  do 
Thy  bidding  and  to  live  the  honest,  faithful  and  gen- 
erous life  of  the  children  of  God.    Amen. 

Charles   F.   Dole. 


224  MXtQU&t  9 


All  the  night  long  the  gray  embracing  mist 
Has  held  in  tender  arms  the  tired  world; 
The  sleepy  river  its  soft  lips  have  kissed, 
And  over  hills  and  meadows  it  has  curled. 

Its  white  cool  finger  it  has  gently  placed 
On  weary  stretches  of  the  desert  sand; 
The  noisy  city,  and  the  far-off  waste, 
Have  felt  the  benediction  of  its  hand. 

The  drowsy  world  rolls  slowly  toward  the  day: 
The  fresh  sweet  wind  of  morning  softly  blows; 
The  willing  mist  no  longer  now  may  stay; 
With  first  expectancy  of  dawn,  it  goes. 

Margaret  Deland. 

O  God,  the  day  is  Thine,  the  night  also  is  Thine. 
Thou  makest  the  outgoings  of  both  the  morning  and 
the  evening  to  rejoice.  Thy  goodness  is  as  benignant 
and  sure  in  the  night  season  as  in  the  flooding  light 
of  noon.  Thou  art  not  bound  by  times  and  seasons, 
but  as  Thy  providence  preparest  the  light  and  the 
sun,  so  Thou  rulest  in  the  night  as  well.  We  thank 
Thee  for  the  light  and  blessings  of  the  day  now  gone, 
and  would  equally  mellow  our  evening  moments  with 
thanksgiving.  As  night  and  day  are  both  alike  to 
Thee,  may  our  faith  make  them  both  alike  to  us  in  their 
testimony  to  the  Heavenly  Father's  unceasing  care. 
Thus  what  time  it  is  dark  and  we  are  afraid  we  will 
still  trust  in  Thee.  Hear  our  prayer  through  Christ 
the  light  of  life.    Amen. 

Charles  T.   Berry. 


&tt0U0t  10  225 


Blessed  be  the  Lord  that  maketh  my  meat  at  nightfall 

savoury: 
And  filleth  my  evening  cup  u'tth  the  wine  of  good  cheer. 

Blessed  be  the  Lord  that  maketh  me  happy  to  be  quiet: 
Even  as  a  child  that  cometh  softly  to  his  mother's  lap. 

0  God,  Thou  faintest  not,  neither  is  Thy  strength  worn 

away   with   labour: 
But  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  weary  that  we  may  obtain  Thy 

gift  of  rest. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


The  day  is  Thine,  O  Lord;  the  night  also  is  Thine. 
In  the  morning  we  wait  on  Thee  to  renew  our  strength : 
in  the  evening,  to  find  the  shelter  of  Thy  wing.  Thou 
art  our  Sun;  and  apart  from  Thee  our  toil  is  blind 
and  weary,  and  there  is  no  glory  in  our  joy.  Thou 
art  our  Shade;  and  only  when  Thou  closest  round  us, 
can  our  spirits  find  their  rest.  Blessed  and  abiding 
God!  let  us  not  seek  Thee  far,  for  Thou  art  here; 
but  only  lay  our  hearts  low  before  Thee,  and  Thou  wilt 
enter  in.  Quiet  our  fears,  sweeten  our  affections,  and 
lift  us  above  the  fretfulness  of  the  world  into  Thy 
divine  repose.    Amen. 

Tames  Martineau. 


226  &U0USt  11 


The  mind  wants  steadying  and  setting  right  many 
times  a  day.  It  resembles  a  compass  placed  on  a  rickety 
table;  the  least  stir  of  the  table  makes  the  needle  swing 
around  and  point  untrue.  Let  it  settle  then  till  it  points 
aright.  Be  perfectly  silent  for  a  few  moments;  .  .  . 
there  is  an  almost  divine  force  in  silence.  Drop  the 
thing  that  worries,  that  excites,  that  interests,  that 
thwarts  you;  let  it  fall  like  a  sediment  to  the  bottom, 
until  the  soul  is   no  longer  turbid;    and  say,  secretly, 

Grant,  I  beseech  Thee,  merciful  Lord,  to  Thy  faithful 
servant  pardon  and  peace;  that  I  may  be  cleansed  from 
all  my  sins  and  serve  Thee  with  a  quiet  mind." 

Bishop  Huntington. 


We  thank  Thee,  our  Father  in  Heaven,  for  the 
patience  and  loving  kindness  that  have  followed  us  all 
through  the  day.  We  have  been  distraught  by  its 
duties,  and  cares,  and  perplexities,  and  even  now 
we  find  it  hard  to  free  ourselves  from  the  burden  of 
these.  Wilt  Thou  not  come  to  our  help  ?  Breathe 
upon  our  spirit  Thy  holy  benediction:  grant  unto  us 
forgiveness  for  our  thoughtlessness  and  wayward- 
ness, and  our  forgetfulness  and  distrust  of  Thee. 
And  as  the  curtain  of  night  closes  about  us,  may 
we  have  such  a  sense  of  Thy  nearness,  and  love,  and 
Fatherly  protection  that  in  peace  we  shall  be  able 
to  possess  our  souls.    Amen. 

James  Alexander. 


^ttflttat  12  227 


When  evening  steeps  the  world  in  rest,r 
A  sigh  steals  from  the  seas  deep   breast 
Like  echo  of  an  ocean's  roar. 
What   means  this  sound  from   far-off  shore, 
Brought  home  by  the  incoming  tide? 

Can  it  be  grief  for  words  unsaid  ? 

Is  it  the  pain   of  tears   unshed? 

The  longed-for  truth  we  never  knew  ? 

The  ghost  of  dreams  that  proved  untrue  ? 

The  murmur  borne  across  the  sea 
Is  faith  that  lives  eternally, 
The  hope  of  things  that  are  to  be, — 
'Tis  Love,  unbounded,  wide,  and  free, 
Brought  home  by  the  incoming  tide. 

Marie  Russell. 


Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  added  another  day  to  our  life. 
Its  opportunities  for  service  have  come  and  gone. 
We  have  reason  to  fear  that  we  have  not  made  the 
most  of  them.  We  were  not  alert  enough,  or  we 
thought  we  were  too  busy,  or  they  seemed  too  small. 
We  cannot  recall  these  opportunities,  but  we  can  sup- 
plicate Thy  pardon  for  our  failures,  and  we  can  re- 
solve, in  Thy  strength,  to  do  better.  Teach  us  to 
believe  in  the  life  of  service,  after  the  pattern  of  Him 
who  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister, 
and  to  give  His  life  a  ransom  for  many.    Amen. 

Reuben  Kidner. 


228  3U0U$t  13 

Like  the  beacon-lights  in  harbors,  which,  kindling 
a  great  blaze  by  means  of  a  few  fagots,  afford  sufficient 
aid  to  vessels  that  wander  over  the  sea,  so,  also,  a  man 
of  bright  character  in  a  storm-tossed  city,  himself  con- 
tent with  little,  effects  great  blessings  for  his  fellow- 
citizens. 

Epictetus. 

A  gay,  serene  spirit  is  the  source  of  all  that  is  noble 
and  good.  Whatever  is  accomplished  of  the  greatest 
and  noblest  sort  flows  from  such  a  disposition.  Petty, 
gloomy  souls,  that  only  mourn  the  past  and  dread  the 
future,  are  not  capable  of  seizing  upon  the  holiest 
moments  of  life. 

Schiller. 

O  Heavenly  Father,  how  often  has  it  seemed  to  us 
that  we  have  been  like  fagots  thrown  together  by 
chance  to  burn  our  lives  out  at  the  mere  sport  of 
circumstance!  And  how  hard  it  is,  sometimes,  for 
us  to  keep  our  feeble  flame  from  going  out  or  our  light 
from  becoming  merely  a  dull  glow  of  selfish  exist- 
ence! At  the  close  of  another  day  of  striving,  we 
bow  before  Thee,  confessing  our  weakness.  In  the 
consciousness  of  Thy  presence  and  of  Thy  patient 
love,  we  are  ashamed  to  have  so  magnified  our 
failures  and  shortcomings,  as  though  we  could 
judge  whether  this  day  we  have  failed  or  succeeded 
in  doing  Thy  will.  Forgive  us  this  greater  sin  of 
distrusting  our  own  power,  and,  after  refreshing 
sleep,  awaken  us  to  share  with  Thee  the  glory  and 
the  joy  of  patient,  loving  service  in  another  day. 
Amen. 

Willis  A.   Moore. 


&U0tt0t  14  229 


Life  is  too  short  to  waste 

In  critic  peep  or  cynic  bark, 
Quarrel  or  reprimand,  — 

'Twill  soon  be  dark: 
Up  f   mind  thine  own  aim,  and 

God  speed  the  mark  ! 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 


If  you  would  lift  me  up,  you  must  be  on  higher 
ground.  If  you  would  liberate  me,  you  must  be  free. 
If  you  would  correct  my  false  view  of  facts,  hold  up  to 
me  the  same  facts  in  the  true  order  of  thought. 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 


O  Lord,  give  us  grit  and  grace  enough  to  climb. 
Save  us  from  the  monotony  and  drudgery  of  the  dead- 
level.  May  today's  visions  and  tasks  overtop  those  of 
yesterday;  and  when  we  have  scaled  the  heights  may 
there  ever  be  a  backward  glance  and  helping  hand  for 
those  who  follow  on,  and  may  many  a  heart  song  float 
out  upon  the  breeze  to  cheer  the  fainting  ones.  Grant 
that  our  prayers  may  be  more  than  speech;  may  they 
have  feet  shod  for  the  rough  path  and  the  steep 
climb,  and  hands  whose  finger  tips  are  as  soft  as  a 
mother's  check,  and  shoulders  broad  enough  to  carry 
many  a  load.  Help  us  through  busy  hours  to  ever 
look  up  and  laugh  and  lift.  When  at  last  the  lengthen- 
ing shadows  tell  us  of  the  sunset,  give  we  pray  Thee,  the 
rest  and  sleep  which  only  the  beloved  know.     Amen. 

Frederick  T.  Keeney. 


230  StU0USt   15 


Courage  for  the  great  sorrows  of  life,  and  patience 
for  the  small  ones;  and  then  when  you  have  accom- 
plished your  daily  task,  go  to  sleep  in  peace.  God  is 
awake. 

Victor  Hugo. 

The  day  is  done,  and  the  darkness 
Falls  from  the  wings  of  Night, 

As  a  feather  is  wafted  downward 
From  an  eagle  in   his  flight. 


And  the  night  shall  be  filed  with  music 
And  the  cares  that  infest  the  day, 

Shall  fold  their  tents  like  the  Arabs 
And  as  silently  steal  away. 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 


O  God,  our  Father,  grant  us  Thy  peace  at  the 
eventide.  Still  the  day's  pulse  within  us  and  lead  us 
into  the  night's  stillness  and  rest.  While  light  is 
withdrawn  from  the  outward  eye  let  light  eternal 
be  given  to  the  inner  vision.  So  beholding  the  glory 
may  we  be  lost  in  Thy  rest  and  all  renewed  within. 
Amen. 

Rockwell  Harmon   Potter. 


August  16  231 


Let  nothing  make  thee  sad  or  fretful ', 
Or  too  regretful; 

Be  still. 
What  God  has  ordered  must  be  right; 
Then  find  it  in  thine  own  delight, 

My  will. 

Why  shouldst  thou  fill  today  with  sorrow 
About  tomorrow, 

My  heart  ? 
One  watches  all  with  care  most  true; 
Doubt  not  that  He  will  give  thee  too 

Thy  part. 

Only  be  steadfast;    never  waver, 
Nor  seek  earth's  favor, 
But  rest. 
Thou   knowest  what  God  wills  must  be 
For  all  His  creatures,  so  for  thee, 
The  best. 

Paul  Fleming. 

Our  Father  in  Heaven,  with  gladness  we  began  the 
day  with  Thee  not  knowing  what  it  would  bring  us. 
Tonight  we  thank  Thee  because  our  steps  have  been 
ordered  by  Thy  will.  Thy  care  has  been  our  constant 
comfort  and  Thy  faithfulness  our  precious  guide. 
Give  unto  us  now  that  peace  which  Jesus  called  "  My 
peace,"  and  that  joy  which  He  called  "  My  Joy." 
We  pray  for  divine  peace  and  the  fulness  of  joy. 
Hear  our  evening  supplication,  that  we  may  delight 
in  Thy  will,  be  the  subjects  of  Thy  loving  care,  and 
learn  that  He  who  made  all  creation  very  good  will 
give  His  children  all  that  is  best  for  them.    Amen. 

Charles  H.   Daniels. 


232  ®UQ\Wt  17 


/  hear  it  singing,  singing  sweetly, 

Softly  in  an   undertone, 
Singing  as  if  God  bad  taught  it, 

"  //  is  better  farther  on  !  " 

Night  and  day  it  brings  the  message, 

Sings  it  while  I  sit  alone; 
Sings  so  that  the  heart  may  hear  it, 

"It    is  better  farther  on  !  " 

Sits  upon  the  grave  and  sings  it, 

Sings  it  when  the  heart  would  groan, 

Sings  it  when  the  shadows  darken, 
"  It  is  better  farther  on  !  " 

Farther  on  ?     Oh  !    how  much  farther  ? 

Count  the  milestones  one  by  one. 
No!    no  counting  —  only  trusting 

"  It  is  better  farther  on  !  " 

Anonymous. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  peren- 
nial allurements  of  hope.  When  it  is  night  we  wait 
for  the  day,  when  it  is  winter  we  wait  for  the  spring, 
when  we  have  failed  we  try  again,  when  misfortunes 
assail  us  we  refuse  to  accept  them  as  final;  we  rest 
in  no  achievement  and  are  dismayed  by  no  disaster, 
but  ever  and  ever  we  say  "  It  is  better  farther  on." 
Oh,  keep  alive  this  alluring  dream,  let  us  triumph 
through  our  faith.  So  may  each  day  be  a  better  day, 
each  year  a  better  year,  and  while  the  days  and  years 
recede,  may  life  grow  rich  and  fruitful.    Amen. 

George  L.   Perin. 


&UflU8t  18  233 


Comes  there  to  you  a  pause  in  all  the  day, 
When  angels  borrow  burdens  in  their  play  ? 
Know  you  the  sweet  forgetfulness  and  rest 
Of  yielding  sorrows  at  His  dear  behest  f 
If  not,  O  storm-tossed  soul,  come  home  tonight 
Into  God's  harboring  heart  of  peace  and  light! 
So  shalt  thou  find,  when  troubled  and  distressed, 
Between  the  reverent  hours  an  holy  rest. 

Paul  Pastnor. 


Father  of  all  comfort,  look  Thou  upon  me  in  my 
restlessness,  and  calm  the  turbulence  of  my  heart. 
The  day's  experiences  have  turned  my  thoughts  away 
from  Thee  and  disturbed  the  serenity  of  my  mind. 
Now,  as  the  evening  draws  near  I  come  to  Thee  for 
rest  and  quietness  of  spirit.  Mourning  the  weak- 
ness of  my  sin  stricken  nature,  that  I  should  have  so 
easily  forgotten  Thee,  I  draw  near  Thy  mercy  seat 
in  humble  contrition,  craving  Thy  pardon  and  Thy 
grace.  Take  Thou  away  the  dimness  of  my  vision 
that  I  may  more  clearly  recognize  Thy  presence, 
quiet  Thou  the  throbbing  of  my  troubled  mind  that 
I  may  find  peace.  I  bring  to  Thee  no  plea  but  my 
need,  I  present  no  argument  for  Thy  favor  but  my 
unrest,  I  prefer  no  claim  but  Thy  love.  Now,  as 
the  shadows  lengthen  and  the  clouds  fold  themselves 
about  the  twilight,  I  bow  before  Thee  and  wait  for  a 
benediction  of  peace.     Amen. 

Dwight  E.  Marvin. 


234  ^ttfiUSt  19 


Smile,  though  the  very  heart  of  thee 

Be  wounded  to  the  quick;   . 
The  candle  bright   alone  sheds  light, 

But  ne'er  the  blackened  wick. 

Smile,  though  just  beneath  thy  smile 
Despair's  brood  croucheth  fierce;  — 

Oft  sunlight  through  the  darkest  clouds 
A  shining  way  can  pierce. 

Smile,  though  every  fibre,  nerve, 

Be  quivering  with  pain;  — 
The  rainbow's  hues  are  brightest 

Where  falls  the  heaviest  rain. 

Mary  G.  Gross. 


O  God,  all-complete  and  eternal,  if  this  day  mine 
syes  have  beheld  Thee  as  love  and  kindliness  and 
joy,  let  not  my  thankful  heart  forget  Thy  rectitude, 
Thy  faultless  justice.  And  if  this  day  mine  eyes  have 
beheld  Thee  as  austere  and  relentless  might,  whelming 
my  life  in  unmerited  tempests,  and  making  me  the 
helpless  victim  of  forces  I  have  not  set  in  motion, 
come  to  my  aid  with  the  reminder  that  my  knowledge 
of  Thee  is  but  partial;  calm  my  terror  with  Thy  gift 
of  faith,  to  whisper  unto  me  of  Thine  unseen  ten- 
derness and  pride.  Let  not  sleep  surprise  me  with 
reproaches  in  my  heart,  but  let  faith  restore  unto  me 
its  perfect  confidence  and  peace  and  cheer,  before  I 
close  my  eyes  for  rest.     Amen. 

Charles  E.  Park. 


&U0USt  20  235 


Are  you  not  surprised  to  find  bow  independent  of 
money  peace  of  conscience  is,  and  how  much  happiness 
can  be  condensed  in  the  humblest  home  ?  A  cottage 
will  not  hold  the  bulky  furniture  and  sumptuous  accom- 
modations of  a  mansion,  but  if  God  be  there  a  cottage 
will  hold  as  much  happiness  as  will  stock  a  palace. 

James  Hamilton. 


/  Happiness  is  a  very  shy  goddess  to  the  lover  who  is 
as  blunt  as  Miles  Standish  and  seeks  her  before  she  has 
been  fairly  wooed.  Indeed,  she  is  not  quickly  won  by 
the  man  who  is  all  the  time  seeking  her;  she  flies  away 
and  hides.  But  when  he  goes  about  his  business  and 
shows  by  his  faithfulness  that  he  deserves  to  be  happy, 
she  comes  on  silent  wings,  steals  into  his  heart,  weaves 
her  magic  charm  about  him,  and  without  knowing  why, 
he  smiles  and  is  glad. 

George  L.  Perin. 

We  thank  Thee,  O  God,  for  the  privilege  of  having 
lived  this  day  in  Thy  beautiful  world.  We  have  found 
the  hours  precious  not  alone  because  Thou  hast 
given  us  our  heart's  desires,  or  ministered  to  our 
happiness.  But  if  at  any  time  in  the  day  Thou  hast 
given  us  some  high  task  that  for  a  little  v,  hile  has  taken 
us  out  of  ourselves,  or  hast  permitted  us  to  forget 
our  own  happiness  in  service  for  Thee  or  Thy  chil- 
dren, it  is  for  this  that  we  thank  Thee,  now  that 
the  day  is  ended.  When  morning  breaks  upen  our 
sight  may  it  come  with  the  glad  anticipation  of  some 
work  to  do,  into  which  we  may  put  our  whole  heart 
and  soul.     Amen. 

Loren  B.  Macdonald. 


236  &UgUSt   21 

"I  will  seek  joy  and  only  py 
Without  alloy." 
Amidst  the  tangled  maze  of  doubt  and  sin 

A  sorrow  seems  to  fit  with  dusky  wing; 
Impending  gloom   seems   slowly  creeping  in; 

But  light  breaks  through  the  clouds  as  still  I  sing, 
"I  will  seek  joy   and  only  joy 
Without  alloy." 


"I  will  feel  love  and  love  alone 
And  self  dethrone." 
A  sordid  spirit  all  about  me  reigns  — 

The  greed  for  gain   in   all  around  I  see, 
And  selfish  law  our  selfishness  sustains; 
Amidst  it  all  my  song  shall  ever  be, 
"I  will  feel  love  and  love  alone, 
And  self  dethrone." 

Frederic  A.  Bisbee. 

O  Jehovah,  Thou  art  our  joy.  From  morning  until 
evening  Thou  hast  been  our  song.  Amid  evening 
shadows  Thou  shalt  be  our  trust.  Even  in  our 
dreams  we'd  be  "  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee."  Thy 
joy  fills  heaven  with  song;  let  it  fill  our  hearts  in  the 
night  watches.  "  In  Thy  presence  is  fullness  of  joy;  " 
fill  us  with  a  sense  of  Thy  presence.  Let  us  lie  down 
to  rest  in  Thine  arms  of  mercy  and  power,  and  awake 
to  Thy  smiles  of  love.  If  crosses  should  come  on  the 
morrow,  help  us  to  bear  them  in  the  spirit  of  Thy  Son, 
who  for  the  sake  of  the  joy  that  was  set  before  Him 
redeemed  the  cross.  Thou  art  love.  Help  us  to  love 
Thee  supremely,  and  from  the  fountains  of  Thy  pure 
love  to  drink  joy  unalloyed.    Amen. 

Samuel  L.   Beiler. 


SlttgUSt  22  237 

Every  good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above, 
and  cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  Lights,  with  whom 
is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turning. 

James  i.  17. 

It  fortifies  my  soul  to  know 
That,  though  I  perish,  truth  is  so 
That,  howsoe'er  I  stray  and  range, 
Whatever  I  do,  Thou  dost  not  change. 
I  steadier  step  when   I  recall 
That,  if  I  slip,  Thou  dost  not  fall. 

Arthur  Hugh  Clough. 

My  little  fellow,  about  four  years  old,  whom  I 
brought  with  me,  gave  himself  no  trouble  amid  the 
boats,  omnibuses,  and  railway  coaches  on  sea,  land,  and 
in  dark  tunnels;  his  father  was  at  his  side,  and  never 
a  care  or  fear  or  doubt  or  anxiety  had  he.  May  we 
have  grace  to  be  led  by  the  hand,  and  trust  to  the  care 
and  kindness  of  a  loving  God  and  Father. 

Thomas  Guthrie. 

O  Thou,  who  art  the  Giver  of  every  good  and  per- 
fect gift,  we  bless  Thee  for  Thine  unchanging  Provi- 
dence and  for  Thy  loving  kindness  which  is  over  all 
Thy  works.  Thou  hast  been  mindful  of  us  this  day, 
though  we  have  forgotten  Thee.  Thou  hast  cared  for 
us  even  while  we  were  not  careful  of  ourselves.  For- 
give us  that  we  have  wandered  so  far  away  from  Thee. 
May  we  rest  in  the  knowledge  that  Thou  art,  and  that 
Thou  art  Love.  May  we  know  that  the  Eternal  God 
is  our  dwelling-place  and  feel  underneath  the  ever- 
lasting arms.  May  our  hearts  be  stayed  on  Thee  in 
perfect  trust,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.    Amen. 

Charles   F.   Aked. 


238  &tt0tt8t  23 


Happy  the  man  and  happy  he  alone, 

He  who  can  call  today  his  own: 

He  who,  secure  within,  can  say, 
Tomorrow  do  thy  worst,  for  I  have  lived  today. 

Be  fair,  or  foul,  or  rain,  or  shine, 
The  pys  I  have  possessed,  in  spite  of  fate  are  mine; 
Not  heaven  itself  upon  the  past  has  power, 
But  what  has  been,  has  been,  and  I  have  had  my  hour. 

Horace. 


We  have  come  through  this  day  with  its  varied  du- 
ties, Thou  who  art  our  Lord  and  our  God,  rejoicing 
that  all  its  experiences  have  strengthened  our  trust  in 
Thy  Providence  and  our  faith  in  Thee!  We  have 
had  the  past!  We  know  nothing  of  the  future,  but 
the  present  is  ours  and  we  pray  to  use  its  opportunities 
and  meet  its  obligations  in  the  way  that  makes  for 
life.  Help,  Lord,  our  inadequate  efforts!  Beaten 
down,  we  would  rise  again  in  newness  of  courage, 
because  conscious  of  Thy  nearness,  and  Thy  willing- 
ness to  serve  us.  Blessed  art  Thou  upon  whom  we 
lean!  We  pray  Thou  wilt  not  withdraw  Thy  compan- 
ionship which  can  hold  us  in  a  sense  of  duty.  Help 
us  that  we  be  more  faithful  servants  of  Thine  and 
closer  disciples  of  Him  in  whose  name  we  are  asking 
it  all!     Amen. 

Caroline  E.  Angell. 


&U0ttSt  24  239 

Give  me  joy,  give  me  joy,  0  my  friends; 

For  once  in  my  life  has  a  day 
Passed  over  my  bead  and  out  of  my  sight 

And  my  soul  has  naught  to   unsay, 
No  querulous  word  to  the  fair  little  child 

Who  drew  me  from  study  to  play; 
No  fretful  reply  to  the  hundred  and  one 

Who  questioned  me  gravely  and  gay; 
No  word  to  the  beggar  I  fain  would  take  back; 

No  word  to  the  debtor  at  bay; 
No  angry  retorts  to  those  who  misjudge, 

And  desire  not  a  nay,  but  a  yea; 
No  word,  though  I  know  I  remember  them  all, 

Which  I  would  if  I  could  e'er  unsay. 
Give  me  joy,  give  me  joy,  0  my  friends, 

For  the  patience  that  lasted  all  day. 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 

This  night  I  thank  Thee,  Power  Divine,  that  all  day 
long  I  have  been  kept  from  the  fever  and  fret  of  anxiety 
and  of  impatience.  Help  me  always  to  bear  with  the 
weakness  of  others  and  with  my  own  unreasonable 
solicitude.  Give  me  to  help  the  child  and  to  console 
grown  man;  to  hear  complaints  cheerfully  and  answer 
questions  with  courage;  to  keep  myself  with  perfect 
sweetness  in  the  bustle  and  the  roar  as  I  go  about  my 
work.  And  evermore  may  some  glory  cast  from  these 
brief  years  be  around  me  as  I  near  the  Gates  of  Twi- 
light; and  kindly  faces  I  have  loved  look  into  mine 
as  I  tread  at  last  the  flowered  path  to  Sleep.  Amen. 
Petes  MacQueen. 


24o  Slugttst   25 


Holy,  Holy!  —  in  the  hush 
Hearken  to  the  hermit-thrush; 
All  the  air 
Is  in  prayer. 

John  Vance  Cheney. 


The  night  is  sanctified  with   holy  seeming, 
All  nature  pins  to  worship  the  Divine, 

Like  newly  lighted  altar-candles  gleaming 
The  stars  begin  to  shine. 

Like  incense  is  the  perfume  of  the  valleys, 
The  winds  like  voices  sing  along  the  coast, 

While  high  above  the  ocean  s  brimming  chalice 
The  moon  hangs  like  a  host. 

Denis  A.  McCarthy. 


Blessed  Lord,  we  enter  the  portals  of  the  evening, 
but  there  is  no  darkness  where  Thou  art.  The  dark- 
ness and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  Thee.  The  seren- 
ity of  the  night  fitly  closes  the  commotion  of  the  day 
that  is  past.  We  seek  for  the  rest  that  comes  with  Thy 
presence.  Under  Thy  blessing  we  repose  while  even 
in  splendor  the  night  excels  what  has  been  the  splendor 
of  the  day.  Grant  us  the  repose  unbroken  by  dis- 
trust and  doubt.  May  our  trust  in  Thee  be  perfect. 
Amen. 

David  O.   Mears. 


&UgU8t  26  241 


The  last  hgbt  lingers  in  the  west 

Upon  some  bits  of  floating  cloud 

Which  ever  gleam  and  gleam,  while  to  the  rest 

Are  but  allowed 

Fainter,  reflected  rays  to  light  them  forth 

Into  the  chill,  black  north. 

This  lot  be  mine: 

To  catch  the  glow  direct  from  some  world-light 

Whose  influence,  serene  and  bright, 

Shall  tinge  my  night, 

And,  by  reflection,  shine 

On  darker  dust-clouds  back  along  the  line. 

Robert  Haven  Schauffler. 


O  Lord,  Light  of  the  world,  dispeller  of  darkness, 
with  Thee  is  no  variableness  nor  shadow  of  turning. 
To  us  the  night  cometh,  to  Thee  there  is  no  night. 
Angels  with  holy  visage  illuminate  our  darkening 
rooms  and  while  we  sleep  beneath  their  vigilance 
Thine  eye  beholdeth  clearly.  Thou,  who  art  light, 
dispel  our  gloom  within.  Thou  canst  penetrate  all 
barriers  we  would  put  up  to  cover  our  thoughts; 
within  our  souls  there  is  no  hiding-place  from  Thee. 
Keep  our  minds  open  to  thy  radiance:  may  it  purify 
every  mental  vision  since  we  know  that  each  is  placed 
in  the  light  of  Thy  countenance.  Put  Thine  arms 
around  us  and  give  us  to  feel  their  inviolable  security. 
Amen. 

Joseph   Parker. 


242  SCu&ust  27 

GoJ  6ro&£  our  years  to  hours  and  days, 

That  hour  by  hour  and  day  by  day, 

Just  going  on  a  little  way, 

We  might  be  able  all  along 

To   keep  quite  strong. 

Should  all  the  weight  of  life 

Be  laid  across  our  shoulders,  and  the  future,  rife 

With  woe  and  struggle,  meet  us  face  to  face 

At  just  one  place, 

We  could  not  go; 

Our  feet  would  stop;  and  so 

God  lays  a  little  on   us  every  day. 

And  never,  I  believe,  on  all  the  way, 

Will  burdens  bear  so  deep 

Or  pathways  he  so  steep 

But  we  can  go,  if  by  God's  power, 

We  only  bear  the  burdens  by  the  hour. 

George  Klingle. 


Our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  close  of  another 
day.  Thou  hast  led  us  to  a  new  resting  place  in  our 
journey,  where  we  may  again  halt  our  tired  steps, 
and  lay  our  burdens  down.  Give  us  sleep.  Grant 
us  forgetfulness  of  the  day's  sorrows,  difficulties  and 
disappointments.  We  thank  Thee  for  this  day's 
kindness  received  and  given;  for  temptation  re- 
sisted; for  difficulties  overcome.  We  commune 
with  Thee  and  with  ourselves,  counting  our  mercies 
and  recounting  Thy  blessings.  We  ask  pardon 
for  the  day's  shortcomings,  and  Thy  benediction 
upon  our  true  endeavors.  Keep  us  from  harm  this 
night,  and  from  all  evil;  and  teach  us  never  again 
to  doubt  nor  to  fear.    Amen. 

M.    J.     BlEBER. 


&U0U0t  28  243 


Hast  thou  been  down  into  the  deep  of  thought 
Until  the  things  of  time  and  sense  are  naught; 
Hast  sunk- — sunk  —  in  that  tireless  underdeep 
Fathoms  below  the  little  reach  of  sleep  ? 

Hast  visited  the  depth  where  he  must  go 

That  would  the  secrecies  of  being  know? 

Hast  been  a  guest  where,  lost  to  smiles  and  tears, 

The  quiet  eye  looks  on   beyond  the  years  ? 

Hast  thou  been  down   into  the  deep  of  thought 
Beloved  of  prophets,  where  their  work  is  wrought  ? 
Then  doubt  is  whelmed  in  hope,  and  care  in  calm, 
The  tumult  melts  in  music  of  a  psalm. 

John  Vance  Cheney. 


Heavenly  Father,  from  the  great  invisible  world 
that  broods  us  may  we  be  able  to  put  to  silence  the 
noise  of  this  life;  and  from  out  of  its  abundance  may 
we  be  able  to  supply  the  lack  of  this  life,  and  live  by 
the  soul  and  the  spirit.  Thou  knowest  our  inmost 
thought,  Thou  knowest  what  we  know  not,  —  the 
remotest  necessities,  —  of  our  souls;  and  what  can 
be  better  for  us  than  to  rest  with  unspoken  requisitions 
before  the  God  who  created  us,  who  knows  us,  who 
loves  us,  who  gave  Himself  for  us  ?  So  may  we  be 
able,  day  by  day,  to  live  in  sweet  contentment,  and 
rest  in  Thee.     Amen. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


244  ^UUttSt  29 

Into  the  basket  of  thy  day 

Put  each  thing  good  and  each  thing  gay 

That  thou   canst  find  along  the  way. 

Neglect  no  joy,  however  small, 

And  it  shall  verily  befall 

That  day  can  scarcely  hold  them  all. 

Within  the  basket  of  thy  day 
Let  nothing  evil  find  its  way, 
And  let  no  frets  and  worries  stay. 

So  shall  each  day  be  brave  and  fair, 
Holding  of  joy  its  happy  share, 
And  finding  blessings  everywhere. 

Priscilla  Leonard. 


For  the  light  of  this  day  which  called  us  to  con- 
scious life  and  duty,  by  which  we  have  beheld  the 
wonders  of  earth  and  sky,  and  looked  into  the  faces  of 
those  we  love,  we  give  Thee  thanks,  dear  Lord. 
What  we  have  put  into  the  day  of  true  endeavor,  of 
kindliness  and  good  cheer,  hold  Thou  for  the  lasting 
betterment  and  gladdening  of  the  world.  Point  out 
to  us  our  errors;  cleanse  Thou  us  from  faults.  And 
now  that  darkness  is  upon  us,-  as  under  the  shadow 
of  Thy  wings  soothe  and  comfort  us.  Close  our  eye- 
lids in  peaceful  sleep.  Restore  strength  to  worn 
bodies  and  weary  minds.  And  when  the  morning 
comes,  with  faces  radiant  as  the  dawn  and  energies 
eager  for  service,  may  we  joyfully  set  forth  as  workmen 
of  God.      Amen. 

Harry  L.  Canfield. 


&U0tt0t  30  245 


Will  not  a  tiny  speck  close  to  our  vision  blot  out  the 
glory  of  the  world,  and  leave  only  a  margin  by  which 
we  see  the  blot  ?  I  know  no  speck  so  troublesome  as 
self. 

George  Eliot. 

//  a  man  could  feel 
Not  one  day  in  the  artist's  ecstasy, 
But  every  day,  feast,  fast,  and  working  day 
The  spiritual  significance  burn  through 
The    hieroglyphic  of  material  shows, 
Henceforward  he  would  paint  the  globe  with  wings. 

Anonymous. 

Tonight,  dear  Father,  may  we  truly  say,  "  How 
good  it  has  been  to  live  in  Thy  world  and  under  Thy 
beneficent  laws,  know  ourselves  Thy  children,  feel  the 
stir  and  thrill  of  Thy  life  as  we  have  applied  ourselves 
with  resolution  to  our  tasks,  experience  Thy  blessing 
in  our  hearts  as  we  have  wrestled  manfully  with  evil 
propensities  within  or  trials  without  that  seemed 
bound  to  defeat  our  good  purposes."  But  if  in  our 
little  narrow  world  of  personal  interests,  some  plans 
have  been  frustrated  and  we  have  been  irritable  or 
rebellious,  oh,  grant  that,  still  taught  by  Thee,  we  may 
see  how  our  selfish  preoccupation  has  blinded  us  to 
Thy  glory  and  robbed  us  of  Thy  inspiration.  So 
because  of  this  day,  help  us  to  live  henceforth  less 
unto  ourselves  and  more  in  sympathy  with  all  life, 
and  thus  find  the  divine  meaning  and  joy  in  every 
experience.     Amen. 

J.  M.  Atwood. 


246  August  31 


The  melancholy  of  the  woods  and  plains 
When  summer  nears  its  close;    the  drowsy,  dim, 
Unfathomed  sadness  of  the  mists  that  swim 
About  the  valleys  after  night-long  rains; 
The  humming  garden,  with  its  tawny  chains 
Of  gourds   and  blossoms,  ripened  to  the  brim; 
And  then  at  eve  the  low  moons  quiet  rim, 
And  the  slow  sunset,  whose   one   cloud   remains, 
Fill  me  with  peace,  that  is  akin  to  tears: 
Unutterable  peace,  that  moves  as  in  a  dream 
'Mid  fancies  sweeter  than  it  knows  or  tells; 
That  sees  and  hears  with  other  eyes  and  ears, 
And  walks  with  Memory  beside  a  stream 
That  flows   through  fields   of  fadeless   asphodels. 

Madison  Cawein. 


O  God,  Almighty  Father,  in  whose  hand  our 
breath  is,  and  all  our  ways,  we  seek  Thee  in  the  great 
temple  of  Nature,  now,  in  the  most  fitting  hour  of 
worship,  in  the  twilight  of  the  closing  summer. 
The  harvest  is  passing,  "  Change  and  decay  in  all 
around  I  see;  O  Thou  who  changest  not,  abide  with 
me."  With  gratitude  for  the  season's  fruitfulness,  so 
varied  and  so  abundant  everywhere,  we  pray  Thee  to 
grant  unto  the  children  of  earth  the  assurance  that 
the  Giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift  will  supply 
all  the  needs  of  life,  both  temporal  and  eternal.  With 
the  setting  of  life's  sun,  may  the  evening  Star  of  Hope 
shine  clear  and  bright,  pointing  the  way  to  the  Land 
of  Eternal  Summer.     Amen. 

Charles  C.   Earle. 


Seutcwfctv  i  247 

Spirits  I  love  — 

Voice  of  the  brown-flanked  rapid; 
Soul  of  the  hemlock  gloom; 
Bring  your  peace  to  my  heart, 
Here  in  this  room. 

Spirits  I  love  — 
Spirits  of  dusk  and  dawn; 
Hush  of  the  shadowed  valley; 
Pride  of  the  noon  withdrawn; 
Courage  of  crimson  sunset, 
Lips  of  the  hillside  gloom; 
Bring  your  peace  to  my  heart, 
Here  in   this  room. 

Spirits  I  love  — 
Ghost  of  the  rotting-tree-trunk; 
Soul  of  the  strong  young  fir; 
Kiss  of  the  twilight  wind 
In  the  forest  spires  astir; 
Scent  of  the  slim  cone's  bloom; 
Bring  your  peace  to  my  heart, 
Here  in  this  room. 

Theodore  Roberts. 

Ah,  how  many-voiced  is  Thy  presence,  Spirit  of 
God.  How  narrow  and  dim  the  faith  that  finds  Thee 
only  in  one  form  of  self-utterance.  Empower  us 
to  take  possession  of  what  is  ours  in  nature,  to 
become  seers  and  prophets  of  the  spiritual  values  in 
all  ordinary  scenes  and  experiences.  So  shall  we 
have  a  "  closer  walk  with  God,"  when  we  find 
Him  everywhere,  and  so  shall  our  finite  become 
attuned  to  Thy  Infinite.    Amen. 

C.  Ellwood  Nash. 


248  ScjJtnutov  2 


Don't  measure  God's  mind  by  your  own,  Euphra. 
It  would  be  a  poor  love  that  depended  not  on  itself,  but 
on  the  feelings  of  the  person  loved.  A  crying  baby 
turns  away  from  its  mother's  breast,  but  she  does  not 
put  it  away  till  it  stops  crying.  She  holds  it  closer. 
For  my  part,  in  the  worst  mood  I  am  ever  in,  when  I 
don't  feel  I  love  God  at  all,  I  just  look  up  to  His  love. 
I  say  to  Him,  '  Look  at  me.  See  what  state  I  am  in. 
Help  me  !  '  Ah  !  you  would  wonder  how  that  makes 
peace.     The  love  comes  of  itself." 

George  Macdonald. 


And  lo,  Thou  art  so  near!  the  mists  are  mellowed 
With  Thine  effulgence,  shining  from  above, 

And  all  the  dim,  dim  way  grows  sweet  and  hallowed, 
Warmed,  lighted,  glorified  by  Thy  strong  love. 

Thou  art  so  near!    As  to  the  little  lisper 
Who  sobs  a  wish  none  else  may  understand, 

The  mother  bends  —  so  Thou  to  my  faint  whisper 
With  ready  ear  and  tender,  outstretched  hand. 

Thou  art  so  near!   through  all  my  joys  and  sorrows 
Thou  leadest,  though  Thy  face  I  may  not  see; 

My  yesterdays  were  Thine,  and  my  tomorrows 

I  leave  with  Thee  —  I  leave  them  all  with  Thee! 

Amen. 
Francis  Moore  Geiger. 


September  3  249 

Child  of  My  love,   "  lean  hard," 

And  let  Me  feel  the  pressure  of  thy  care. 

I  know  thy  burden,  child;   I  shaped  it, 

Poised  it  in  Mine  o%vn  hand,  made  no  proportion 

In  its  weight  to  thine  unaided  strength; 

For  even  as  I  laid  it  on,  I  said, 

I  shall  be  near,  and  while  she  leans  on  Me, 
This  burden  shall  be  Mine,  not  hers: 

"  So  shall  I  keep  My  child  within  the  circling  arms 
Of  Mine  own  love."     Here  lay  it  down,  nor  fear 
To  impose  it  on  a  shoulder  which  upholds 
The  government  of  worlds.     Tet  closer  come; 
Thou  art  not  near  enough;   I  would  embrace  thy  care, 
So  I  might  feel  My  child  reposing  on  My  breast. 
Thou  lovest  Me  ?    I  know  it.    Doubt  not  then: 
But,  loving  Me,  lean  hard. 

Paul  Pastnor. 


O  Thou  great  Father  Soul,  all  the  day  long  we 
have  leaned  confidently  upon  Thy  love,  and  found 
light  to  guide  us,  strength  to  sustain  us  in  right 
thinking  and  clean  living.  Now  as  the  shades  of 
night  close  in  upon  us,  still  leaning  trustfully  upon 
Thee,  we  would  lie  down  to  peaceful  slumber 
assured  that  no  harm  can  come  to  us  since  Thy 
love  is  stronger  than  evil  and  Thy  life  stronger 
than  death.  We  hear  Thee,  Father,  always  calling, 
"  Come  nearer,  My  child,  lean  harder,  I  will  not  for- 
sake thee,  thou  art  Mine  and  I  am  thine;  trust,  obey, 
love  and  be  free."  Keep  us,  O  Father,  in  this  childlike 
faith  and  confidence  now  and  always,  and  Thy  name 
be  hallowed  ever  more.     Amen. 

Henry  N.   Couden. 


250  September  4 

Into  thy  lap,  O  Night,  I  fling  me  down, 

My  broken  body  and  my  baffled  soul,  • — 

Let  me  forget  the  runners  and  the  goal,  — 

And  the  set  faces  straining  toward  the  crown, 

The  quickly-fading  wreath  of  men's  renown; 

Into  thine  arms,  0  Night,  thy  still  control, 

I  give  my  spirit  trembling  with  the  roll 

Of  the   great    earth-din,    seared   by   failure's    frown. 

Gone   is  the   haughty  lust  for  high   command, 

Gone  the  imperious  rage  for  place  and  name; 

As  a  child's  toys  from  out  its  listless  hold; 

Lay  on   my  throbbing  lids  thy  healing  hand, 

And,  piteous,  draw  around  my  spirit's  shame, 

The  blessed  oblivion  of  Thy  mantle's  fold. 

Ethel  A.  Murphy. 


O  Thou  in  whose  presence  we  have  sought  to  live 
another  day,  grant  us  now  the  forgetfulness  of  peace- 
ful sleep.  Help  us  to  dismiss  every  care  which  has 
engaged  our  thought  and  leave  our  unfinished  tasks 
to  Thee.  Make  us  glad,  O  Lord,  that  we  do  not 
toil  alone  or  bear  responsibility  in  our  own  strength, 
for  Thou  art  ever  with  us  in  each  high  resolve  and 
worthy  strife.  And  as  children  go  to  rest,  attended  by 
parental  love,  may  we  believe  that  after  our  work 
and  play  Thou  sendest  us  repose.  If  the  day  has 
brought  grief  or  shame,  may  we  hope  for  a  tomorrow 
all  bright  with  the  unfulfilled  purposes  of  Thy  love. 
We  pause  to  think  of  Thee  and  to  give  Thee  our 
thanks.  We  rejoice  that  Thou  art  and  that  we  are 
safe  in  Thine  unfailing  care.  Forgive  us,  O  Father, 
for  all  which  Thou  canst  not  bless,  and  give  us  Thy 
peace.      Amen. 

Elijah  A.  Hanley. 


September  5  251 

Who's  seen  my  day  ? 

'Tts  gone  away, 

Nor  left  a  trace 

In  any  place. 

If  I  could  only  find 

Its  foot -fall  in  some  mind, 

Some  spirit-waters  stirred 

By  wand  of  deed  or  word  — 

/  should  not  stand  at  shadowy  eve, 

And  for  my  day  so  grieve  and  grieve. 

Anonymous. 

At  eventide  search  through  your  ways  — 

What  you  have  said  this  day, 

What  done,  what  thought, 

For  more  than  once  you  may  have  sinned 

Against  your  neighbor  and  your  God. 

Thomas  a  Kempis. 

We  acknowledge,  O  God,  with  grateful  feeling  Thy 
gracious  leading  through  another  day.  We  praise 
Thee,  if  today  we  have  been  able  to  resist 
temptation  and  make  progress  in  the  heavenly 
way.  We  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  if  we  have  minis- 
tered this  day,  by  word  or  deed,  to  the  welfare  of 
others.  We  rejoice  in  the  prompting  to  wholesome 
living  and  benign  service  that  comes  from  our  Great 
Master,  —  walking  in  the  light  of  whose  example 
our  souls  are  enriched  and  glorified.  We  commit 
ourselves  to  Thy  watchcare  for  the  night  that  has 
come.  We  know  that  the  darkness  hideth  not  from 
Thee.  We  pray  to  be  made  confident  of  spirit,  relying 
upon  the  promise:  "  Thou  shalt  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee."    Amen. 

Henry  W.  Rugg. 


252  Srjatewtier  6 


"  Seems  to  me  it's  pretty  cold,  and  the  wind  is  keen 
and  sharp,"  complained  a  woman,  who  was  sitting 
in  the  shade  on  the  north  veranda.  Everybody  who 
passes  calls  it  a  nice  day,  but  when  you  get  out  into 
it,  it's  cold  and  raw."  '  Of  course  it  is,"  called  her 
husband  from  the  yard,  "  when  you  are  sitting  in  the 
shade  on  the  north  side  of  the  house.  Come  out  here 
into  the  sunshine;  the  yard  is  full  of  it."  One  might 
as  well  expect  to  get  into  a  perspiration  sitting  on  an 
iceberg,  as  expect  to  realize  true  blessedness  with  a  com- 
plaining spirit.  Everything  God  has  made  or  does  is 
ordained  to  bring  us  blessings,  but  if  we  put  on  blue 
glasses,  wrap  shadows  about  us  and  drearily  sit  on  the 
north  side  of  life,  how  can  we  expect  to  know  much 
about   blessedness  ? 

Ida  Q.  Moulton. 


Thou  gracious  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the 
blessed  sunshine.  It  is  always  making  a  glad  and 
beautiful  world.  When  it  is  actually  shining  let  us 
live  in  it  and  when  it  does  not  shine  let  us  live  in  the 
memory  of  it.  And  we  thank  Thee  too  for  the  sun- 
shine of  Thy  love  which  penetrates  to  all  the  dark 
corners  of  our  world  and  of  our  hearts.  Nor  have  we 
to  live  in  the  memory  of  it  at  any  time,  for  Thou 
lovest  us  every  day  and  hour.  Let  us  lie  down  to- 
night with  the  consciousness  of  Thy  love  and  not  be 
afraid.     Amen. 

George  L.   Perin. 


Stpttttiticr  7  253 


God  bestows  his  gifts  during  the  night,"  says  the 
old  German  proverb.  Sleep  itself  is  a  great  blessing; 
and  while  we  sleep  the  clouds  are  storing  their  supplies 
of  moisture,  the  rivers  are  performing  their  ministry 
of  labor  on  our  behalf,  the  seeds  are  swelling  in  the  earth, 
the  gram  is  springing  in  the  fields,  the  fruits  are  ripen- 
ing on  the  tree,  the  harvest  is  growing  golden  in  the 
mellow  darkness  of  the  autumn  night;  for  in  truth, 
if  we  are  wise  and  diligent,  nature  is  on  our  side,  and 
all  God's  world  is  busy  preparing  our  bread. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


At  the  close  of  this  day,  Our  Father,  we  turn  to 
Thee  in  prayer,  thanking  Thee  for  its  blessings  of 
pleasure  and  work.  As  the  night  shadows  gather 
upon  us,  may  Thy  peace  be  our  portion.  Watch  over 
us  and  ours  during  the  night.  Grant  to  us  Thy 
blessing  of  sleep  and  rest  that  we  may  arise  to  our 
duties,  new  or  old,  with  strength  and  courage. 
We  thank  Thee  for  Thy  care  of  us;  for  Thy  manifold 
provisions  for  our  welfare  that  go  on  while  we  take 
our  rest.  With  grateful  hearts,  we  commit  our  souls 
to  Thee,  not  afraid  of  what  may  come  to  us  before 
the  dawn  —  for  we  will  still  be  with  Thee.       Amen. 

O.   Howard  Perkins. 


254  Stptcmticr  8 


A  dewdrop  falling  on  the  wild  sea  wave, 
Exclaimed  in   fear,  "  /  perish   in   this  grave!" 
But  in   a  shell  received,  that  drop  of  dew 
Into  a  pearl  of  marvelous  beauty  ■  grew, 
And  happy  now,  the  grace  did  magnify 
Which  thrust  it  forth,  as  it  had  feared,  to  die, 
Until  again,  "  /  perish  quite,"  it  said, 
Torn   by  a  diver  s  hand  from  its  ocean  bed. 
Oh,  unbelieving  !      So  it  came  to  gleam 
Chief  jewel  in  a  monarch's  diadem. 

From  the  Persian. 


O  God,  our  Infinite  Father,  as  the  drop  of  dew  be- 
came pearl,  and  from  the  monarch's  diadem  radi- 
ated beauty  to  the  world,  so  may  all  realize  that  Thy 
Christ  image,  which  is  implanted  in  every  child  born 
to  earth,  when  developed,  will  make  all  mankind 
Thy  diadem,  and  radiate  Thy  love  and  truth  and 
beauty  throughout  the  world,  as  Thou  art  the  Eternal 
Monarch  of  the  Universe.  As  when  we  retire  to  sleep 
at  night,  we  have  faith  that  there  will  be  a  sunrise  and 
a  new  day,  when  we  awake  in  the  morning;  so  may 
we  have  faith  that  as  we  develop  Thy  Christ  life  in 
our  lives,  there  will  be  a  divine  sunrise  to  our  souls, 
opening  into  Thy  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  when  we  will 
all  come  together  in  righteousness  and  love  with 
Thee  and  with  each  other.    Amen. 

Walter  Dole. 


Srjittmfctr  9  255 


One  stitch  dropped  as  the  weaver  drove 
His  nimble  shuttle  to  and  fro, 
In  and  out,  beneath,  above, 
Till  the  pattern  seemed  to  bud  and  grow 
As  if  the  fairies  had  helping   ban  — 
One  small  stitch  which  could  scarce  be  seen; 
But  the  one  stitch  dropped  pulled  the   next  stitch  out, 
And  a  weak  spot  grew  in  a  fabric  stout; 
And  the  perfect  pattern  was  marred  for  aye 
By  the  one  small  stitch  that  was  dropped  that  day. 

Anonymous. 

Almighty  God,  at  the  close  of  the  day  we  are  tired, 
for  we  have  been  sorely  tried.  The  archers  of  the 
world  have  hit  us  and  our  wounds  are  in  the  heart. 
We  come  unto  Thee  who  art  able  to  keep  us  from 
falling.  We  come  unto  Thee  for  Thou  hast  the  power 
to  heal.  "  O  God  most  hidden  and  most  manifest," 
grant  us  Thy  peace,  we  beseech  Thee.  Give  to  us 
that  deep  sense  of  Thy  love  and  pardon  and  then 
the  deeper  depths  of  our  lives  will  be  quiet  though 
the  surface  rufflings  are  ever  present.  In  Thy  hand 
even  the  trials  and  troubles  of  life  work  together  for 
our  good.  Help  us  to  say  with  Thee  "  Thy  will 
be  done."  Then  shall  we  know  that  though  weeping 
may  endure  for  the  night,  joy  cometh  in  the  morn- 
ing. May  the  "  peace  that  passeth  all  understanding  " 
be  ours  at  the  close  of  this  day.  As  we  rest  in  Thee, 
may  we  be  wiser  and  truer  and  more  obedient  for  this 
day's  doings.  May  we  be  more  loyal  stewards  because 
more  loving  children  when  the  new  day  dawns.    Amen. 

Harold  Pattison. 


256  Septtmtotv  10 


But  thank  God  He  has  not  left  us  there.  .  .  .  When 
we  tremble  —  and  we  sometimes  must  —  at  the  hideous 
misery  of  the  world,  at  the  dread  possibilities  of  evil 
within  and  without,  we  know  that  the  Father-arm  is 
round  us,  we  hear  the  Spirit-whisper,  "  soft  as  the 
breath  of  even,"  saying:  "  Fear  not,  only  believe;  all 
souls  are  Mine.  There  is  no  immediate  solution  for 
the  terrifying  mystery  of  evil,  but  you  are  not  bubbles 
on  the  ocean  of  time  —  you  are  here  by  My  act,  in  the 
midst  of  a  vast  system  of  training,  correction,  and  re- 
covery." 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  day 
now  closing.  Thou  knowest  the  temptations  we  have 
met  and  the  burdens  we  have  borne.  Forgive  us 
for  falling  short  of  our  high  calling.  We  place  our 
trust  in  Thee;  Thou  wilt  finally  give  us  the  victory 
and  humanity  a  triumph  over  evil.  Increase  our  faith 
in  Thee  and  grant  us  patience  to  await  Thine  ap- 
pointed time.  When  assailed  by  evil  may  we  preserve 
our  integrity;  in  suffering  our  hope;  in  betrayal  our 
faith.  Help  us  to  feel  that  these  are  Thy  ministers 
bringing  out  our  divinity  as  the  cutting  reveals  the 
value  of  the  diamond.    Amen. 

Otis  F.   Alvord. 


Stjrtemttcr  U  257 

No  wrathful  wrecks  of  yesterday 

Shall  shut  the  sunlight  from  my  face; 

Nor  bar  my  upward-climbing  way 
Nor  trammel  me  in  my  soul-race. 

Done  deeds  are  dead.      Let  those  who  will 

Falter  and  fall  before  old  ghosts; 
For  me  the  sweet,  exultant  thrill 

Of  marching  with  the  conquering  hosts. 

For  me,  no  dreaming  doubtful  dreams, 

Nor  pondering  on  gone  defeat. 
Before  me  lies  the  road  which  gleams 

With  all  its  triple-milhoned  feet 

'That  bravely  strive  unceasingly 

To  reach  that  far  tall-towered  height, 

Whereon  the  sun  shines  dazzlingly 
And  where  there  is  no  bitter  night. 

No  hand  may  help,  no  word  may  cheer, 

But  by  whatever  Gods  there  be 
Within  my  heart  there  lurks  no  fear 

And  I  shall  wrest  the  victory  ! 

Lucius  Withers. 

Gracious  Lord,  our  Heavenly  Father,  another  day 
is  done.  We  turn  to  thank  Thee  at  this  evening  hour. 
We  know  that  Thou  hast  blessed  us.  We  have  come 
short  of  our  desire  to  serve  Thee,  but  Thou  wilt  have 
compassion  and  forgive.  Grant  us  the  rest  that  we 
need  this  night.  May  we  leave  our  burdens  with  Thee. 
Refreshed  when  the  morning  comes,  may  we  be  pre- 
pared to  go  on  in  the  blessed  and  victorious  way  of 
eternal  life  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 

George  Powell  Perry. 


258  Scpttmtitt  12 


Sometimes  I  have  thought  in  my  meditation,  "If 
Christ  would  descend  but  as  a  beam  of  light,  that  I 
might  see  Him,  it  would  be  such  a  help  to  my  senses  !  " 
And  I  have  listened  at  night,  I  have  listened  in  hours 
of  sorrow,  and  I  have  heard  nothing.  I  have  called, 
and  none  has  answered.  I  have  reached  out  imploring 
hands,  and  nothing  took  them.  I  have  said,  "My  Lord 
and  my  God,  if  Thou  art,  speak  to  me  !  "  and  there  has 
been  no  response.  And  yet  out  of  these  hours  I  have 
come,  feeling  still  that  a  silent  and  invisible  God  can  be 
more  to  me,  taking  life  all  through,  than  if  He  were 
actually  present  and  visible  in  a  bodily  form.  I  take 
hold  of  the  invisible  by  more  sides  than  I  do  of  the 
visible. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Almighty  God,  grant  that  our  meditation  of  Thee 
may  be  constant,  joyous,  and  blessed!  We  give  Thee 
thanks,  O  God,  that  Thou  hast  revealed  Thyself  as 
light,  life,  and  love;  and  we  praise  Thy  name  for  the 
assurance  that  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God. 
May  we  trust  Thee,  invisible  though  Thou  art,  and 
thus  know  by  a  blessed  experience  that  God  is,  and 
is  the  rewarder  of  those  who  seek  Him!  Grant  that 
we  may  lay  ourselves  down  and  sleep,  and  in  the 
morning  awake  filled  with  courage,  hope,  and  joy; 
knowing  that  Jehovah  sustained  us  in  the  night  and 
will  support  us  in  the  day.  Speak  to  us,  O  God,  in 
nature,  in  providence,  and  in  revelation;  and,  in 
response  to  Thy  manifold  voices,  may  each  one  say, 
"  My  Lord  and  My  God!  "    Amen. 

Robert   Stuart  MacArthur. 


September  13  259 


/  will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace,  and  sleep;    for 
Thou,  Lord,  only  makest  me  dwell  in  safety. 

Psalm  iv.  8. 

Good  night  !    good  night  ! 
Far  from  us  flies  the  cheerful  light: 
But  like  a  lamp  bestowed  of  heaven, 
God's  goodness  still  to  us  is  given: 
We  shall  be  safe  beneath  His  sight. 

Good  night  !     good  night  ! 

Benjamin  R.  Bulkeley. 


O  Thou  wha  keeps  the  stars  alicht,  an'  our  souls 
burnin'  wi'  a  licht  aboon  that  o'  the  stars,  grant  that 
they  may  shine  afore  Thee  as  the  stars  for  ever  and 
ever.  An'  as  Thou  hauds  the  stars  burnin'  a'  the 
nicht,  whan  there's  no  man  to  see,  so  haud  Thou  the 
licht  burnin'  in  our  souls,  whan  we  see  neither  Thee 
nor  it,  but  are  buried  in  the  grave  o'  sleep  and  for- 
getfu'ness.  Be  Thou  by  us,  even  as  a  mother  sits  by 
the  bedside  o'  her  ailin'  wean  a'  the  lang  nicht;  only 
be  Thou  nearer  to  us,  even  in  our  verra  souls,  and 
watch  ower  the  warP  o'  dreams  that  they  male'  for 
themsel's.  Grant  that  more  an'  more  thochts  o'  Thy 
thinkin'  may  come  into  our  herts  day  by  day,  till 
there  shall  be  at  last  an  open  road  atween  Thee  an' 
us,  an'  Thy  angels  may  ascend  and  descend  upon 
us,  so  that  we  may  be  in  Thy  Heaven,  e'en  while  we 
are  upo'  Thy  earth.    Amen. 

George  Macdonald. 


26o  StpttnUitr  14 


//  my  counsel  is  of  any  avail,  we  shall  at  all  times, 
under  persuasion  that  the  soul  is  immortal  and  equal 
to  the  burden  of  every  evil  and  every  good,  hold  on  the 
upward  path,  and  strive  in  every -way  after  thoughtful 
rectitude,  that  we  may  be  in  friendship  with  ourselves 
and  with  the  gods,  not  only  while  abiding  here,  but 
when  as  conquerors  we  go  round  and  gather  in  the 
prizes  of  our  victory;  and  that  both  now,  and  on  the 
millennial  journey  we  have  described,  it  may  be  well 
with  us. 

Plato. 


We  thank  Thee,  our  Father,  that  we  have  come  to 
know  the  immediacy  of  the  life  immortal  through 
friendship  with  Christ.  By  Him  it  has  been  given  us 
to  know,  that,  "  Now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,"  and 
that,  "  We  are  more  than  conquerors  through  Him 
that  loved  us."  So,  while  we  have  been  busy  this  day 
with  the  necessary  duties  of  life,  we  have  tried  to  do 
them  in  the  spirit  of  Him,  who  said,  "  Because  I  live 
ye  shall  live  also."  Forgive  the  blunders,  and  add 
Thy  blessing  to  every  earnest  endeavor.  As  we  seek 
Thy  face  at  the  close  of  this  day,  strengthen  us  for 
each  forward  step  in  the  eternal  journey  which  we 
have  started.     Amen. 

Andrew  Gillies. 


Scjptewtoec  15  261 


Constantly  endeavor  to  do  the  will  of  another,  rather 
than  thy  own; 

Constantly  choose  to  want  less,  than  to  have  more; 

Constantly  choose  the  lowest  place,  and  to  be  humble 
to   all;   and 

Constantly  desire  and  pray,  that  the  will  of  God  may 
be  perfectly  accomplished  in  thee,  and  concerning  thee. 

Verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  he  that  doeth  this,  enters  into 
the  region  of  rest  and  peace. 

Thomas  a  Kempis. 


Grant  us  the  blessed  knowledge  that  the  Heavenly 
Father's  will  is  not  only  good  will  but  the  best  will, 
and  give  us  grace  to  freely  choose  and  gladly  do  it. 
Save  us  from  consuming  desire  for  all  things  except 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  but  for  these  give  us 
the  hunger  and  thirst  to  which  belong  the  beatitudes  of 
promise.  Grant  us  that  humility  of  soul  which  finds 
supreme  contentment  as  a  doorkeeper  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord  and  which  seeks  its  highest  honor  in  the 
service  of  the  least  of  the  Master's  brethren.  And  in 
these  things  of  our  desire  may  there  come  to  our  lives 
the  benediction  of  heavenly  peace.     Amen. 

Matt.   S.  Hughes. 


262  ScjJtcmticr  16 

1   grudge  no  more  the  playtime, 

Midsummer  s  dreamy  hours, 
When   all  the  sunny  day-time 

Was  rest  for  languid  powers. 

Each  breath   upon  the  mountains, 

Or  in  the  forest  shade,. 
Or  by  the  sea's  cool  fountains, 

My  spirit  stronger  made. 

And  strength  was  made  for  spending; 

My  soul  no  miser  be, 
But  to  thy  tasks  now  bending 

Give  self  in  service  free! 

John  Coleman  Adams. 

O  God,  our  Father,  we  lift  our  hearts  to  Thee,  and 
send  our  wishes  heavenward.  We  thank  Thee  for 
Thyself  and  all  Thou  art  to  the  creatures  of  thy  con- 
stant thought  and  love.  We  thank  Thee  for  the 
summer  days  we  have  seen,  and  all  their  wondrous 
ministry  to  our  welfare.  We  have  proved  again  how 
good  Thou  art.  Thy  presence  in  the  seed  time  and 
harvest  was  most  wonderful.  The  miracle  of  the 
manna  has  been  repeated.  The  season  has  passed, 
but  Thou  remainest.  We  praise  Thee  for  autumnal 
rest  and  reflections.  May  we  know  the  Giver,  and 
rejoice  in  Him  more  than  in  the  gifts.  Repeat  Thy 
former  mercies,  and  help  us  to  bring  our  lives  up  to 
this  act  of  devotion.  Let  the  pillar  of  cloud  and 
fire  ever  sentinel  our  dwelling,  that  whether  we  sleep 
or  wake,  live  or  die,  we  may  be  Thine.  Abide  with 
us.      Amen. 

James  M.   Thoburn. 


Sqjtcmtjcr  17  263 


Home's  not  merely  four  square  walls, 
Though  with  pictures  hung  and  gilded: 
Home  is  where  affection  calls, 
Filled  with  shrines  the  heart  hath  builded. 

Home  !  go  watch  the  faithful  dove, 
Sailing  'neath  the  heaven   above  us: 
Home  is  where  there's  one  to  love, 
Home  is  where  there's  one  to  love  us. 

Home's  not  merely  roof  and  room, 
Needs  it  something  to  endear  it: 
Home  is  where  the  heart  can   bloom, 
Where  there's  some  kind  lip  to  cheer  it. 

Charles  Swain. 


O  Thou  from  whom  every  family  in  heaven  and 
on  eartli  is  named,  we  bless  Thee  for  the  human  love 
with  which  the  day  now  closing  has  been  gladdened; 
for  the  courage  which  came  in  the  thought  that  loved 
ones  believed  in  us;  for  the  enlargement  of  our  life 
made  possible  in  their  service.  Forgive  us,  if  we  have 
seemed  unmindful  of  these  mercies;  renew  our  love, 
if  it  have  grown  careless  or  cold;  and  purge  us  from 
all  selfishness  that  we  may  be  more  loyal  to  those 
whom  Thou  hast  given  us.  Give  us  a  vision  of  what 
our  homes  should  mean.  From  the  shelter  which  it 
gives  and  in  the  strength  which  it  supplies,  send 
us  forth  daily  to  battle  for  all  good  things.     Amen. 

Edwin  R.  Smith. 


264  Sejurmfier  18 


/  sent  my  soul  through  the  Invincible, 
Some  letter  of  that  after-life  to  spell; 
And  by-and-by  my  soul  returned  to  me 
And  answered,  I,  myself,  am  Heaven  and  Hell. 

Omar  Khayyam. 


/  was  young.     I  prayed  to  the  gods  above. 

Prayed  and  struggled  and  lost  my  prayer. 
And  I  beat  my  breast  and  cursed  and  raved. 

I  was  young.     I  thought  that  the  gods  were  there. 

I  am  old.     I  commune  with  the  gods  within. 

Listen  and  learn  and  have   no  fear. 
And  the  sunlight's  good  and  the  hills  are  fair. 

I  am  old.     I  know  that  the  gods  are  here. 

Lucine  Finch. 


Help  us,  O  Lord,  to  compass  the  knowledge  of 
our  kingdom  here  and  now,  —  to  obey  and  to  rule  in 
it.  As  the  stars  tonight  are  shepherded  in  the  sky 
by  Thy  care,  so  in  our  souls  reigns  Thy  everlasting 
love.  Within  our  hearts  are  deathless  sentiments; 
within  our  minds  shines  the  eternal  right:  Sinai  and 
Calvary,  law  and  gospel  are  there.  Restrain,  we  pray 
Thee,  our  vain  wishes  and  roaming  desires.  Enable 
us  to  dwell  in  honor  with  our  consciences,  and  to  give 
to  others  peace,  courage  and  guidance.    Amen. 

Edward  A.  Horton. 


September  \o  265 


The  wind  that  blows  can  never  kill 

The  tree  God  plants; 
It  hloweth  east,  it  blowetb  west; 
The  tender  leaves  have  little  rest. 
But  any  wind  that  blows  is  best. 

The  tree  God  plants 
Strikes  deeper  roots,  grows  higher  still, 
Spreads  wider  boughs,  for  God's  good  will 
Meets  all  its  wants. 

Anonymous. 


Our  Father  in  Heaven,  we  thank  Thee  that  Thou 
art  the  Great  Husbandman.  Our  lives  are  not  de- 
termined by  chance,  but  Thou  hast  planted  them, 
and  Thou  dost  keep  them  night  and  day.  When  we 
are  tempted  to  say  "  My  way  is  hid  from  Jehovah," 
comfort  our  hearts  with  the  assurance  that  Thou  dost 
nurture  each  life  of  Thy  planting  that  it  may  bear  much 
fruit.  Make  us  patient  under  pruning.  May  we 
be  so  rooted  and  grounded  in  the  certainty  of  Thy  love 
that  every  wind  that  blows  shall  toughen  our  moral 
fibre  and  strengthen  our  hold  upon  Thee.  Make  us 
sure  of  God.  Supply  the  secret  sources  of  life  from 
the  fountains  of  living  water,  that  we  may  bring 
forth  fruit  in  due  season  and  that  our  leaf  may  not 
wither.  So  shall  we  rejoice  continually  in  Thy  love 
and  praise  Thee  forever.     Amen. 

Edward  MacArthur  Noyes. 


266  SejJttmfier  20 


Right  over  against  the  gloomy  face  of  fear  stands 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  these  words  of  ineffable 
cheer:  "  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  God,  even 
our  Father,  which  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  us 
everlasting  consolation  and  good  hope  through  grace, 
comfort  your  hearts."  I  cannot  read  such  a  passage  as 
this  without  feeling  that  it  is  like  a  mother's  putting  her 
hand  on  her  child's  head,  and  soothing  it,  and  stroking 
down  its  curls,  and  fondling  it,  or  putting  her  arms 
about  it  and  caressing  it.  As  a  mother  not  simply 
speaks,  but  in  a  thousand  winning  ways  carries  out 
the  words  in  practice,  so,  when  I  read  this  passage,  it 
is  as  though  God's  spirit  caressed  me,  and  was  bringing 
me    comfort. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Thou  blessed  Father,  we  come  to  Thee  because 
Thou  lovest  us,  even  as  a  mother  loves  her  child.  We 
are  children  and  sorely  need  a  mother's  forgiving 
caress.  Wilt  Thou  fold  us  within  Thy  circling  arms 
and  speak  to  our  spirit  the  word  Thou  knowest  we 
need.  In  Thy  love  over-rule  our  mistakes  that  Thy 
rule  in  the  hearts  of  all  be  not  hindered;  and  sanction 
and  seal  today's  effort  and  thought  for  the  coming 
of  the  Kingdom.  Enable  us  to  now  yield  ourselves 
entirely  to  Thee  through  the  hours  of  the  night 
until  the  morning  break  and  the  shadows  disappear, 
Amen. 

Orisen   C.   Sargent. 


September  21  267 


O  Happiness,  our  being's  end  and  aim  ! 
Good,  pleasure,  ease,  content  !   wbate'er  thy  name; 
That  something  still  which   prompts   th'  eternal  s 
For  which  we  bear  to  live,  or  dare  to  die. 

A  I    PYANnCD      Pr> D 1 


sigh, 
1  to  die. 
Alexander  Pope. 


Say,  Epicurean,  what  things  make  happy;  he  an- 
swers —  "  The  pleasures  of  the  body."  Say,  Stoic;  he 
answers  —  "  The  virtue  of  the  soul."  Say,  Christian; 
he  answers  —  "  The  gift  of  God." 

St.  Augustine. 


God  of  gladness,  Thou,  who  dost  fill  the  heart  of  the 
lark  with  bliss  and  grant  it  the  gift  of  song  for  the 
outpouring  thereof  in  Thy  praise:  Thou  who  dost  give 
its  beauty  to  the  lily  and  brim  its  cup  with  fragrance 
in  which  Thou  takest  delight  as  Thou  dost  in  the 
prayer  of  the  pure  in  heart:  Thou,  who  dost  make 
Thy  dwelling  among  men  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth, 
for  the  love  that  flows  an  ever-deepening  river  from 
its  mercy-seat;  share  with  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  Thy 
rapture  of  goodness.  Grant  us  Thyself,  O  Spirit 
of  love  and  of  holiness,  and  we  shall  rejoice  evermore 
in  Thee,  and  Thou  shalt  have  joy  in  us.    Amen. 

Newell  Woolsey  Wells. 


268  Sejitcmtoct:  22 


One  thing  we  know  that  is  worth  the  while, 

As  we  dream  or  watch,  by  night  or  by  day: 
Wherever  we  go  there's  a  wonderful  smile 
That  comes  to  us  all  from  the  heart  of  things. 
Earth   with   her   creatures  leaps   and  sings, 
And  night  divine  with  her  myriad  stars 

Rains  peace  and  ]oy  with  each  falling  ray, 
Till  the   soul  bursts  forth   from   her  prison   bars, 
And  sings,  as  we  watch  and  dream  and  strive: 
God's  thought  is  good  and  His  world  is  alive  !  " 
John  William  Scholl. 


Our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  another  day.  It 
has  brought  everything  to  our  door.  If  we  have  been 
able  to  take  any  of  Thy  gracious  gifts  and  build  them 
into  fine  living  we  give  Thee  thanks.  If  we  have  been 
too  tired  and  selfish,  too  dull  and  busy  about  the 
world,  to  see  Thee  or  Thy  gifts  we  pray  for  pardon. 
Call  us  back  to  Thee  this  moment.  Be  patient  with 
us,  Thou  who  rememberest  that  we  are  dust.  Let 
us  know  that  Thy  thought  is  good  and  this  world 
alive  with  Thee.  If  we  have  seen  it  today  we  give 
Thee  thanks  for  the  splendid  vision.  If  we  cannot 
always  see  it,  help  us  to  walk  by  faith.  In  the  spirit 
of  Jesus  we  would  live  and  speak  to  Thee.     Amen. 

L.  B.   Fisher. 


<StptCWt)tV  23  269 


There's  never  a  rose  in  all  the  world 

But  makes  some  green  spray  sweeter; 
There's  never  a  wind  in  all  the  sky 

But  makes  some  bird  wing  fleeter; 
There's  never  a  star  but  brings  to  Heaven 

Some  silver  radiance  tender; 
And  never  a  rosy  cloud  but  helps 

To  crown  the  sunset  splendor; 
No  robin  but  may  thrill  some  heart, 

His  dawn-like  gladness  voicing; 
God  gives  us  all  some  small,  sweet  way 

To   set  the  world  rejoicing. 

Anonymous. 


We  thank  Thee,  Father,  for  the  possibilities  of 
blessed  ministry  that  exist  in  small  and  common 
things.  If  this  day  we  have  failed  of  the  great  ideals 
and  goals  of  service,  may  we  yet  be  able  to  retain  the 
consciousness  that  our  lives  have  blessed  and  bright- 
ened the  lives  of  others.  Because  we  use  our  capacity 
for  helpfulness,  may  we  see  our  power  to  minister 
increasing.  When  we  are  discouraged,  let  it  be  our 
fortune  to  receive  some  message  from  some  one  we 
may  have  helped  in  other  days.  Let  this  be  to  us  the 
evangel  that  shall  lead  us  to  gird  our  loins  for  an- 
other day  of  service  and  blessed  ministering.    Amen. 

Charles  Elbert  Hamilton. 


270         StjJttrotor  24 


Be  merry  while  you  may, 

Sweet  lady  o'  the  morn, 
For  each   rose   has  its  day, 

And  every  night  its  thorn. 

Laugh  while  your  youth  is  fair, 
Dance  while  the  sun  is  bright, 

Ere  comes  the  evening  care, 
The  trouble  of  the   night.  — 

So,  were  it  time  at  last 

For  you  and  joy  to  part, 
The  dusk  would  gloiv  with  past 

Stored  sunshine  from  your  heart. 

Louise  Morgan  Sill. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  amidst  life's  rough  way  we 
pray  for  the  habit  of  cheer  and  hope.  Let  it  not  be 
alone  the  joy  of  health  or  fortune  or  youth.  Let  it 
be  the  joy  of  faith  and  trust.  May  we  go  forth  to  each 
task  with  such  conscious  Divine  alliance  that  we  may 
be  able  to  laugh  at  storms  and  misfortunes  and  smile 
in  the  face  of  adversity.  Through  the  habit  of  hope 
born  of  faith  let  there  come  some  permanent  increase 
of  courage  that  shall  last  through  night  and  storm. 
Then  shall  we  not  part  from  joy  at  all,  but  shall  find 
our  joy  in  Thee.  Amen. 
George  L.  Perin. 


Septcm&cr  25  271 

As  we  wax  older  on  this  earth, 

Till  many  a  toy  that  charmed  us  seems 
Emptied    of  beauty,  stripped  of  worth, 

And  mean   as  dust  and  dead  as   dreams,  — 
For  gauds   that  perished,  shows   that  passed, 

Some  recompense  the  Fates  have  sent: 
Thrice  lovelier  shine  the  things  that  last, 

The  things  that  are  more  excellent. 


The  grace  of  friendship,  —  mind  and  heart 

Linked  with  their  fellow  heart  and  mind; 
The  gains  of  science,  gifts  of  art; 

The  sense  of  oneness  with  our  kind; 
The  thirst  to  know  and  understand  — 

A  large  and  liberal  discontent: 
These  are  the  goods  in  life's  rich  hand, 

The  things  that  are  more  excellent. 

William  Watson. 

Our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  world  about  us, 
and  for  the  men  and  women  of  great  steadfastness  of 
soul,  who  bear  faithful  witness  against  iniquity,  who 
light  the  torch  of  truth  and  pass  it  from  hand  to 
hand,  and  sow  the  world  with  seeds  whence  in  due 
time  the  white  flowers  of  peace  shall  also  spring.  We 
thank  Thee  for  the  great  truths  which  are  old,  and 
the  new  truths  also  which  are  great,  and  for  the 
light  of  justice.  O  Lord,  we  thank  Thee  that  the 
glories  which  kings  and  prophets  waited  for  have 
come  down  to  us,  and  Thou  hast  revealed  unto  babes 
and  sucklings  those  truths  which  other  ages  yearned 
for  and  found  not.    Amen. 

Theodors  Parker. 


272  SrptrtntJtr  26 

The  storm  had  passed  me,  and  I  lay 
Upon  the  bosom  of  Life's  ocean,  derelict; 
Far  off  the  thunder  echoed,  and  beyond 
I  heard  the  sullen  roar  of  angry  surf 
Beating  a  rock-bound  shore;    nor  hope  had  I 
That  ever  ray  of  dawn  could  penetrate  the  gloom. 
At  length   a   star  appeared,  —  and  through   the   night 
A  tender  voice  I  heard:    "  Fear  not  !     Thou  art 
Not  all  bereft.    My  child,  come  thou  to  Me; 
When   earthly  joys  take  flight,  true  peace   is   born  !  " 
Then  from  the  deeps  of  my  unmeasured  woe, 
Stretching  my  empty  hands,  to  Him  I  cried; 
And  when  from  darkness  unto  light  I  turned, 
Lo  !  it  was   day  ! 

Mary  Lloyd  McConnell. 


The  way  is  steep,  the  path  is  narrow,  the  conflict 
of  life  is  severe.  And  how  tired  our  feet  are!  How 
weary  our  eyes  become!  We  need  that  rest  which 
Thou  hast  in  Thyself.  Thou  art  at  eternal  labor 
and  eternal  ease.  Thou  sittest  rejoicing,  Thyself 
calm,  sending  forth  the  storm,  and  rebuking  and 
laying  it  low.  Thou  hast  in  Thyself  all  that  we  need 
in  the  conflicts  of  life;  and  we  desire  to  rise  into  Thy 
presence  with  our  thoughts,  and  with  all  the  needs 
and  inward  and  unspeakable  wants  of  our  soul.  We 
desire  to  feel  the  atmosphere  in  which  Thou  dost 
dwell,  and  to  go  away  as  those  that  have  walked  in 
the  garden,  and  borne  the  very  perfume  of  all  that 
grows  and  is  beautiful.  O  Thou,  who  dost  command 
the  morning  to  come  forth  from  the  night,  shine  upon 
our  dark  and  troubled  souls  —  and  grant  us  Thy  joy 
and  peace.     Amen. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Septtmfccr  27  273 

Some  day,  some  day,  'twill  all  come  right, 

The  tangled  skein  will  all  unwind, 
And  we  will  grasp  the  colors  bright 

And  leave  the  sombre  threads  behind. 
The  sun  is  low  and  rest  is  sweet, 

Yet  fears  draw  round  us  when  it  sets. 
And  sorrow  comes  with  winged  feet 

And  joy  but  heralds  new  regrets. 

E'en  while  we  taste,  sweet  draughts  will  turn 

To  bitterness  that  hurts  us  sore; 
We  learn  to  love  and,  loving,  learn 

To  feel  the  loved  one's  loss  the  more. 
And  yet,  when  Reason's  light  grows  pale 

There  shines  through  darkness  still  a  ray 
Of  faith   untaught  which  cannot  fail 

And  leads  us  onward  to  some  day. 

Philander  C.  Johnson. 

Give  us,  O  God,  implicit  trust  in  Thee.  May  we 
seek  not  to  be  protected  from  Thee,  but  grant  us 
the  assurance  that  Thou  always  art  our  protection. 
Especially  in  sorrow,  perplexity  and  darkness,  be 
Thou  our  Comforter,  Guide  and  Light.  May  the 
pressure  of  human  hands  and  the  sympathy  voiced 
by  human  lips  be  tokens  of  that  Divine  love  that 
never  fails  and  is  adequate  and  available  for  every 
need.  Even  though  love  of  friends  and  kindred 
should  be  denied  and  our  night  be  without  a  star, 
still  may  we  know  that  underneath  are  the  everlasting 
arms.  Calm  and  strong  in  child-like  trust,  may  we  this 
night  yield  ourselves  to  Thee  and  find  refreshing 
sleep. 

Richard  E.   Sykes. 


274  ScjJtcmtjn;  28 

A  fire  swept  the  forest  growth  away  — 

All  the  green  thicket  deeds  of  tender  Earth; 
And  every  sapling  Hope  had  given   birth 

Burned  red,  then   white,   and  crumbled  to   decay; 

While  blackened  trees  stood  stark  in  mute  dismay. 

So  like  our  lives,  consumed  by  some  distress, 

When  trusting  hearts,  blithe  in  the  spirit  of  youth, 
Are   blasted  by   the  flames   of  sorrow's   truth 
And  withered  in   Pain's  fire  of  faithlessness  — 
Until  where  Beauty  bloomed  no   man   can  guess. 

Tet,  lo  !  a  miracle  when  time  is  told:  — 

As  trees  and  flowers  shall  bless  that  sod  again 
And  lift  their  fervent  lips  to  summers  rain, 
So  may  our  hearts  arise  from  ashes  cold, 
To  give  new  growth  to  God  a  thousandfold. 

Edith  Livingston  Smith. 

God  of  all  power  and  might!  Thy  secret  place  shall 
be  our  shelter  still.  On  one  thing  our  heart  is  fixed, 
that  we  will  put  our  trust  in  Thee,  though  terrors  also 
are  around  Thee.  Thou  hangest  the  world  upon 
nothing:  yet  we  dwell  thereon  in  peace.  Thou  barest 
Thine  arm  in  the  lightning:  yet  we  work  in  the  fields 
which  Thou  smitest,  and  own  it  as  the  messenger  of 
Thy  perfect  will.  Darkness  and  tempest  are  often 
round  Thee;  yet  we  expect  Thy  light  behind  every 
cloud.  In  every  sorrow  which  awaits  us,  may  we 
look  up  without  despair.  If  we  are  driven  by  strong 
trouble,  as  a  bird  before  the  storm,  may  we  find 
shelter  in  Thee,  as  in  the  clefts  of  the  everlasting  Rock 
which  the  tempests  cannot  shake.     Amen. 

James  Martineau. 


September  29  275 


'Tis   the   front   toward   life   that   matters    most 

The  tone,  the  point  of  view, 
The  constancy  that  in  defeat 

Remains  untouched  and  true; 

For  death  in  patriot  fight  may  be 

Less  gallant  than   a  smile, 
And  high  endeavor,  to  the  gods, 

Seems  in   itself  worth  while  ! 

Florence  Earle  Coates. 


Heavenly  Father,  give  me  the  courage  never  to  be 
content  with  things  as  they  are,  or  myself  as  I  am; 
but  ever  to  welcome  Thy  call  to  progress  and  reform. 
I  like  to  do  things  I  can  do  easily  because  I  have  done 
them  before:  Thou  art  ever  calling  me  to  do  new 
things,  for  which  I  have  no  ready-made  aptitude. 
I  like  to  do  things  which  everybody  will  approve, 
because  they  are  familiar:  Thou  art  ever  calling  me 
to  do  new  things  which  the  good  misunderstand  and 
the  evil  misinterpret.  I  like  to  do  things  that  succeed, 
because  the  world  wants  them:  Thou  art  ever  calling 
me  to  do  new  things  for  which  the  world  is  not  quite 
ready,  and  therefore  at  the  outset  are  doomed  to 
fail.  Give  me  the  brave  heart  to  rise  above  the  coward- 
ice men  call  conservatism,  and  obey  Thy  call.  When 
Thy  clear  orders  come;  doubly  attested  by  manifest 
duty  without,  and  the  stirring  of  latent  power  within; 
then  may  I  have  the  courage  which  implicitly  obeys; 
counts  no  cost  and  fears  no  foe;  and  leaves  results 
entirely  in  Thy  hands.     Amen. 

William  De  Witt  Hyde. 


276  Sejjtcmtjcr  30 

Dwell  deep  !     The  little  things  that  chafe  and  fret, 
Oh,  waste  not  golden  hours  to  give  them  heed ! 

The  slight,  the  thoughtless  wrong,  do  thou  forget, 
Be  self-forgot  in   serving  others'  need. 

Thou  faith  in   God  through  love  for  man  shalt  keep. 
Dwell  deep,  my  soul,  dwell  deep  ! 

Dwell  deep  !    Forego  the  pleasure  if  it  bring 
Neglect  of  duty;  consecrate  each  thought; 

Believe  thou  in  the  good  of  everything, 

And  trust  that  all  unto   the  wisest  end  is  wrought. 

Bring  thou  this  comfort  unto  all  who  weep, 
Dwell  deep,  my  soul,  dwell  deep  ! 

James  Buchanan. 


O  Thou  whose  depths  no  man  can  sound,  and  whose 
resources  can  never  be  exhausted;  we  turn  unto 
Thee  at  this  holy  hour  that  we  may  be  re-enforced, 
and  that  our  little  cups  of  need  may  be  filled.  We  are 
stepping  into  the  Silence  to  woo  the  goddess  of  Slum- 
ber. The  remembrance  of  the  petty  and  mean  things 
which  have  asserted  themselves  during  the  day  may 
disturb  our  sleep.  We  need  to  learn  the  divine  art  of 
forgetfulness,  that  we  may  hold  in  glad  remembrance 
only  the  larger,  the  more  wholesome,  the  real  things. 
Do  Thou,  O  Infinite  Depths  of  Wisdom,  teach  us! 
Then  our  appeal  for  rest  will  be  heard,  and  we  shall 
be  invited  into  the  sweet  realm  of  glad  dreams. 
May  angels  of  tenderness  brood  over  us  tonight; 
and  may  we  awake,  eager  to  answer  Thy  call  to  service. 
With  perfect  confidence,  we  commit  ourselves  to  Thee, 
O  Thou  who  art  the  Unfathomable!     Amen, 

James  Harry  Holden. 


(kctobcr  i  277 


The  day  dies  slowly  in  the  western  sky; 

The  sunset  splendor  fades,  and  wan  and  cold 
The  far  peaks  wait  the  sunrise;    cheerily 

The  goatherd  calls  his  wanderers  to  their  fold. 
My  weary  soul,  that  fain  would  cease  to  roam, 
Take  comfort;    evening  bringeth  all  things  home. 

Homeward  the  swift-winged  sea-gull  takes   its  flight; 

The  ebbing  tide  breaks  softfv  on  the  sand; 
The  sunlit  boats  draw  shoreward  for  the  night; 
The  shadows  deepen  over  sea  and  land; 

Be  still,  my  soul,  thine  hour  shall  also  come; 
Behold,  one  evening  God  shall  lead  thee  home. 

Anonymous. 


O  Thou,  in  whom  Thy  children  rest,  receive  us  as 
we  turn  unto  Thee.  We  are  weary  with  the  cares 
and  toils  of  the  day,  with  the  clamor  of  tongues,  the 
bustle  of  trade,  and  the  ceaseless  going  to  and  fro. 
We  thank  Thee  that  from  it  all  we  may  turn  to  Thee 
for  quiet;  that  the  deep  calm  of  the  Infinite  may  be 
ours;  that  in  Thy  presence  our  earthiness  falls  from 
us,  our  strength  is  renewed,  and  our  emptiness  re- 
plenished. And  yet  it  has  been  a  good  day,  a  day 
of  privilege  and  blessing.  Thou  hast  been  with  us 
as  we  have  busied  ourselves  about  our  tasks,  making 
our  burdens  light  and  our  labor  a  joy.  Be  Thou  with 
us  always  and  make  our  days  all  beautiful  and  useful. 
And  when  the  last  sun  sets  may  we  rest  eternally 
in  Thee.     Amen. 

Charles  M.   Melden. 


278  (Dctofccr  2 


Serene  I  fold  my  hands  and  wait, 
Nor  care  for  wind  nor  tide  nor  sea; 

I  rave  no  more  'gainst  time  or  fate, 
For,  lo  !    my  own  shall  come  to  me. 

I  stay  my  haste,  I  make  delays; 

For  what  avails  this  eager  pace  ? 
I  stand  amid  the  eternal  ways, 

And  what  is  mine  shall  know  my  face. 

Asleep,  awake,  by  night  or  day, 

The    friends  I  seek  are  seeking  me; 

No  wind  can   drive  my  bark  astray, 
Nor  change  the  tide  of  destiny.        • 

John  Burroughs. 


Our  Father,  dear  and  trusted,  all  that  is  dark  to  us 
is  perfect  light  to  Thee,  and  we  who  have  learned  to 
let  the  darkness  of  the  night  enfold  us  and  bring  to  us 
its  rest,  would  leave  whatever  else  is  dark  in  happy 
confidence  to  Thee.  Our  fate  is  hidden,  but  its  ends 
are  safe  in  the  keeping  of  Thy  love  and  wisdom.  To- 
morrow's path  will  lead  us  we  know  not  where,  but 
Thou  knowest,  and  will  not  forsake  us.  We  pray 
Thy  will  be  done,  whatever  it  may  be,  for  we  have 
come  to  trust  Thy  will  as  infinitely  good  and  true, 
and  not  to  change  it  is  our  hearts'  desire,  but  to  make 
it  our  own.     Amen. 

George  Kent. 


(kctoticr  3  279 


/  have  a  little  brook  in  the  deeps  of  my  heart, 

What  does  it  matter  if  the  day  be  chill  or  clear  ? 

Colored  like  a  tourmaline,  and  winged  like  a  dart, 
Voiced  like  a  nightingale,  it  sings  all  the  year. 

Small  bright  herbs  on  the  banks  of  the  stream, 
Moon-pale  primroses  and  tapestries  of  fern; 

This  is  the  reality,  and  life  ts  just  a  dream  — 
Iridescent  bubbles  that  the  moon-tides  turn. 

Helen  Hay  Whitney. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  another  day  is  closing  and 
we  come  into  Thy  presence  to  thank  Thee  for  the 
lesson  we  have  learned.  As  the  evening  shuts  we  are 
reminded  of  the  rapid  passing  of  our  days  in  this 
beautiful  world  of  Thine.  We  are  one  day  nearer 
home,  and  one  day  richer  in  experience.  And  while 
there  is  a  feeling  of  sadness  in  our  hearts  tonight  be- 
cause of  the  failures  of  the  day,  there  is  also  great 
gladness  because  down  deep  in  our  lives  is  the  con- 
sciousness of  our  possession  of  an  eternal  spring  of 
the  water  of  life;  and  for  this  we  heartily  thank  Thee. 
This  it  is  that  brings  the  song  into  life,  makes  life 
real  and  worth  while.  We  humbly  crave  Thy  for- 
giveness for  all  that  has  been  mean  and  ignoble  and 
that  may  have  defiled  the  pure  stream  of  the  water 
of  life  this  day.  Grant  unto  us,  we  beseech  Thee,  Thy 
watch  care  during  the  night,  and  help  us  to  awaken 
with  a  new  consciousness  of  Thy  love  and  a  re- 
doubled ambition  to  serve  Thee  more '  perfectly. 
Amen. 

Frederick  E.  Taylor. 


280  <£ctotoer  4 

Without  haste  !  without  rest  ! 
Bind  the  motto  to  thy  breast; 
Bear  it  with  thee  as  a  spell; 
Storm  or  sunshine,  guard  it  well! 
Haste  not  I      Let  no  thoughtless  deed 
Mar  for  aye  the  spirit's  speed  ! 
Ponder  well,  and  know  the  right, 
Onward  then,  with  all  thy  might  ! 
Haste  not !  years  can   ne'er  atone 
For  one  reckless  action  done. 
Rest  not  !    Life  is  sweeping  by, 
Go  and  dare,  before  you  die; 
Something  mighty  and  sublime 
Leave  behind  to  conquer  time  ! 
Haste  not !    rest  not  I    calmly  wait; 
Meekly  bear  the  storms  of  fate  ! 
Duty  be  thy  polar  guide  — 
Do  the  right  whate'er  betide  ! 

Goethe. 


Father  of  all,  I  thank  Thee  for  the  place  where  Thou 
hast  put  me;  with  persons  on  every  side  whom  I  must 
either  serve  or  injure;  work  which  I  must  do  either 
well  or  ill;  things  I  must  either  beautify  or  mar.  It 
is  at  once  Thy  will  and  my  duty  to  treat  these  persons 
so  kindly;  to  do  this  work  so  well;  to  order  these 
things  so  nicely,  that  happiness,  goodness,  beauty 
shall  be  the  harmonious  result.  Help  me  to  con- 
tribute with  joy  my  little  part  to  Thy  vast  harmony. 
When  my  little  plans  clash  with  Thy  larger  purposes, 
may  I  gladly  give  up  my  personal  preference  to  serve 
Thy  mighty  aims;  and  find  therein  not  hardship, 
but  a  dear  delight.     Amen. 

William  De  Witt  Hyde. 


<r>ctolicr  5 


281 


Am  I  to  thank  God  for  everything  ?  Am  I  to  thank 
Htm  for  bereavement,  for  pain,  for  poverty,  for  toil  ? 
.  .  .  Be  still,  my  soul:  thou  hast  misread  the  message. 
It  is  not  to  give  thanks  for  everything,  but  to  give  thanks 
in   everything. 

George  Matheson. 


//  then  you  would  maintain  a  fearless,  undoubting 
attitude  in  such  a  world  as  this;  if  you  would  keep  your 
head  when  you  read  the  newspapers;  if  you  would 
trust  God,  though  *  the  whole  creation  groaneth  and 
travatleth  together  in  pain;  "  clear  your  mind  of  gen- 
eralities, and  platitudes,  and  second  causes,  and  limi- 
tations, and  stand  face  to  face  with  the  Universal  Soul. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


We  thank  Thee,  our  Father,  that  Thou  hast  not 
clothed  Thyself  with  terror;  that  Thou  dost  not  fill 
the  future  with  fear.  We  draw  near  to  Thee  by  Him 
who  is  called  Saviour,  Friend,  Redeemer;  and,  when 
we  are  taken  by  His  hand  and  presented  to  Thee,  we 
behold  Thy  name.  It  is  Father.  We  are  taught  to 
call  Thee  by  this  endearing  name.  In  Thee  is  refuge 
and  rescue  to  those  that  are  outside  of  Thee,  tossed 
with  fear  and  with  dread.  We  take  refuge  as  children 
in  our  Father's  house.  We  run  to  Thee  in  every  time 
of  fear,  that  we  may  be  saved.    And  we  rejoice.    Amen. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


282  #ctotJcr  0 


Say  not  "  I  have  a  soul,"  I  am  a  soul, 

And  have  a  body  budded  for  my  need, 

7  bat  I,  a  soul,  may  in  this  great  world-school 

Study  the  Masters  works.     My  earthly  house 

Has  wondrous  windows;   mimic  galleries  lead 

Dwinest  sounds  to  me  —  deep  lessons  spelled 

By  loving  lips,  and  vast  world  melodies. 

I  am  a  soul,  set  in  a  sphere  compact 

Of  transient  elements. 

Of  these  a  little  handful  serves  for  home, 

For  medium  touch  'twtxt  me  and  earth, 

The  while  I  stay  —  gives  fire  and  food  and  rest. 

Shall  the  base  stuff  strike  into  me  a  stain, 

Leave  pungent,  earthy  odor  ?     Soul  of  all, 

Attract  me,  lest  the  body  should 

Transcend  a  dwelling's  use. 

Mary  F.  Butts. 


O  Thou,  whose  glory  filleth  all  things!  whose  great- 
ness we  can  never  find,  but  whose  presence  we  would 
always  seek!  whose  excellency  is  more  than  we  can 
know,  yet  all  that  we  adore!  from  the  confused  voices 
of  our  life  we  turn  to  Thy  silent  presence:  from  our 
dark  and  bounded  sky  we  issue  forth  into  Thy  pure 
and  infinite  light.  O,  come,  Thou  Holy  Spirit,  we 
beseech  Thee!  and  even  to  our  dull  clay  bring  Thy 
sanctity  and  dwell.  O  Spirit  of  grace,  who  with- 
holdest  Thy  blessing  from  none!  take  from  us  the 
tediousness  and  anxiety  of  a  selfish  mind,  the  unfruit- 
fulness  of  cold  affections,  the  weakness  of  an  incon- 
stant will.     Amen. 

James  Marti neau. 


iDctoticr  7  283 

Where  tends  this  hard  and  toilsome  way  ? 
It  is  the  straight  and  narrow  road 
That  leads  to   God  from   man's  abode. 

A  cross  my  burden   all  the  way  ? 

Ay,  'tis  a  sign  that  thou  wouldst  feel 
Beyond  thine  own   another's  weal. 

Stands  there  no  inn  beside  the  way  ? 

Nay,  wouldst  thou  wish  to  dream  awhile  ? 
And  dear-bought  hours  with  play  beguile  ? 

And  if  I  faint  along  the  way? 

Then  shalt  thou   know,  as  ne'er  before, 
His  sorrow  who  did  suffer  more. 

Goes  there  no  guide  to  point  the  way? 
Ay,  One  —  the  first  to  share  thy  woes. 
Thou  canst  not  think  how  near  He  goes. 

How  shall  I  know  where  ends  the  way  ? 
There  One  whose  face  thou  wilt  recall 
Shalt  meet  with  thee,  and  tell  thee  all. 

Howard  Arnold  Walter. 

O  Lord,  we  remember  the  sorrows  with  which 
Thou  triest  us,  which  make  our  eyes  run  down  with 
tears,  and  we  pray  Thee  that  there  may  be  in  us  such 
serenity  to  trust  in  Thy  providence  that  every  tear 
shall  be  changed  to  a  far-prospecring  glass,  whereby 
distant  glories  shall  be  brought  near,  and  things 
seemingly  small  shine  out  in  their  real  grandeur  before 
our  eyes,  and  ourselves  be  comforted  even  by  the 
affliction  Thou  givest  us,  and  grow  strong  by  what  else 
would  weaken  heart  and  soul.  Amen. 
Theodore  Parker. 


284  #ctofccr  8 


A  lone  soul  came  to  Heaven  s  hard  gate, 
Low  at  the  warder's  feet  she  fell; 

Sobbing,  she  said  she  had  not  knocked  so  late 
But  for  the  many  roads  to  Hell. 

Stroking  her  bowed,  unmothered  head, 
Up  spoke  the  good  old  warder  gray; 

'This  child,  too  fair,  high  up  let  her  be  led, 
Past  them  that  never  lost  their  way." 

John  Vance  Cheney. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  too  have  sometimes  lost 
our  way.  But  we  rejoice  to  believe  that  Thou  hast 
followed  us  with  the  allurements  of  Thy  love  into  all 
the  lonely  and  dangerous  paths.  Thou  hast  waited 
patiently  for  the  awakening  to  come,  always  ready  to 
speak  gently  when  we  are  ready  to  come  home.  O 
Father,  from  all  our  vain  and  unfruitful  wanderings, 
we  come  back  to  Thee  tonight.  Let  us  not  knock  in 
vain  at  the  door  of  our  Father's  house.  Let  us  in, 
out  of  the  homesickness  and  out  of  the  storm,  that 
we  may  dwell  with  Thee  and  find  comfort  and  peace. 
Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


(Dctotocr  9  285 


The  child  leans  on   its  parent's  breast, 
Leaves  there  its  cares,  and  ts  at  rest; 
The  bird  sits  singing  by  its  nest, 

And  tells  aloud 
His  trust  in  God,  and  so  is  blest 

'Neath  every  cloud. 


The  heart  that  trusts  forever  sings, 
And  feels  as  light  as  it  had  wings; 
A  well  of  peace  within   it  springs; 

Come  good  or  ill, 
Whate'er  today,  tomorrow,  brings, 

It  is  His  will! 

Isaac  Williams. 

Our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven,  who  art  the  soul 
of  Love  beneath  all  Providences,  who  art  all  kind- 
ness, all  strength  and  wisdom;  we  come  to  Thee 
out  of  our  great  need  to  learn  the  lesson  of  trust. 
We  are  weak.  Thou  art  strong.  We  cannot  see  our 
way.  Thou  knowest  it  from  the  beginning  unto  the 
end.  Help  us  to  know  that  Thy  wisdom  and  goodness 
have  worked  it  out  for  us.  Help  us  to  interpret  life 
through  Thine  unerring  Love.  Human  love  often 
faileth.  Thine  never.  Others  often  grow  weary 
and  impatient  with  us.  Thy  patience  is  long-suffering, 
but  never  lessens  and  never  ends.  So  teach  us,  in 
the  darkest  as  in  the  lightest  hours  to  trust  the  un- 
failing love,  and  never  to  doubt  that  Thy  ways  with 
us  lead  evermore  to  peace  and  victory.     Amen. 

A.  B.  Hervey. 


286  <£ctot)tr  10 


As  I  go  speeding  to  the   Western  Gate, 
Let  me  not  murmur  at  unwelcome  Fate, 
But  rather  Life's  unnumbered  joys  relate  — 
As  I  go  speeding  west. 

Beyond  the  sunset  lies  effulgent  dawn, 
I  would  not  make  men  sad  while  journeying  on, 
Nor  give  them  food  for  tears,  when  I  am  gone. 
I  would  not  make  men  sad. 

Too   much  we  talk  of  gloom,  and  grief,  and  shade, 
Forgetting  that  kind  law  a  just  God  made, 
Whereby  small  woes  with  mighty  joys  are  paid, 
Too  much  we  talk  of  gloom. 

Tea,  there  are  vast  delights  on  this  good  earth, 
And  he  who  counts  them,  from  his  hour  of  birth, 
Shall  find  this  life  a  thing  of  precious  worth. 
Tea,  there  are  vast  delights. 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 


Heavenly  Father,  we  have  not  shed  one  tear  too 
many,  nor  had  one  affliction  too  many.  The  burden 
has  never  been  too  heavy.  The  cross  has  never  been 
cruel  to  us.  We  bear  witness,  that  though  for  the 
present,  affliction  has  not  been  joyous  to  us,  but 
grievous,  afterwards  it  has  worked  the  peaceable 
fruit  of  righteousness,  in  that  we  have  been  exer- 
cised thereby;  and  we  commit  ourselves  to  Thee 
for  the  future.  We  thank  Thee,  O  God,  that  there 
are  more  smiles  in  the  universe  than  tears  and  more 
love  than  hatred.      Amen. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


#ctot)cr  u  287 


Drop  a  word  of  cheer  and  kindness  — 

Just  a  flash  and  it  is  gone; 
But  there's  half  a  hundred  ripples 

Circling  on   and  on   and  on, 
Bearing  hope  and  joy  and  comfort 

On  each  splashing,  dashing  wave, 
Till  you  wouldn't  believe  the  volume 

Of  the  one  kind  word  you  gave. 
Drop  a  word  of  cheer  and  kindness  — 

In  a  minute  you  forget; 
But  there's  gladness  still  a  swelling  — 

And  there's  joy  a-cir cling  yet, 
And  you've  rolled  a  wave  of  comfort 

Whose  sweet  music  can  be  heard 
Over  miles  and  miles  of  water 

Just  by  dropping  a  kind  word. 

Gustavus  Williams. 


O  Lord,  Thou  art  ever  speaking  to  us,  though 
often  we  do  not  recognize  Thy  voice.  When  we  speak 
a  kind  word,  Thou  dost  always  give  us  Thine  assur- 
ance of  pleasure;  Thou  dost  speak  kindly  to  our 
hearts.  If  through  this  day,  we  have  failed  to  say 
the  word  of  cheer  and  kindness,  of  hope  or  comfort, 
where  the  word  was  needed,  speak  to  us  now  Thy 
gentle  rebuke.  Teach  us,  our  Father,  that  our  speech 
does  not  die;  that  it  lives  forever  in  human  spirits; 
and  that  our  word  of  peace,  even  when  rejected, 
returns  to  live  with  us  always.  Help  us  so  to  speak 
by  the  grace  of  Thy  Son,  Thy  word  of  Life  to  us, 
that  in  this  evening  time,  and  in  the  final  evening 
time,  we  may  hear  Thine  own  benediction  of  peace. 
Amen. 

Edwin  H.  Hughes. 


288  #ctofccr  12 


Then  gently  scan  your  brother  Man, 

Still  gentler  sister   Woman; 
Tho'  they  may  gang  a  kennin  wrang, 

To  siep  aside  is  human: 
One  point  must  still  be  grectly  dark, 

The  moving    Why  they  do  it; 
And  just  as  lamely  can  ye  mark, 

How  far  perhaps  they  rue  it. 

Who  made  the  heart,  'tis  He  alone 

Decidedly  can   try  us, 
He  knows  each   chord  its  various  tone, 

Each  spring  its  various  bias : 
Then   at  the  balance  let's  be  mute, 

We  never  can   adjust   it; 
What's  done  we   partly   may  compute, 

But  know  not  what's  resisted. 

Robert  Burns. 

O  Thou  who  knowest  our  downsitting  and  our 
uprising  and  art  acquainted  with  all  our  ways,  as 
once  again  Thou  foldest  the  curtains  of  night  about 
us,  we  lift  our  prayer  to  Thee.  In  Thy  Fatherhood 
we  find  faith  and  hope.  Thou  art  mindful  of  our 
mistakes  and  our  shortcomings,  but  Thou  knowest 
as  well  our  efforts  to  be  true,  and  our  shame  when 
we  fall  short  of  our  ideals.  Help  us,  we  beseech 
Thee,  to  nearer  attain  unto  what  is  right,  and  may 
we  be  just  and  kindly  in  our  dealing  with  each  other. 
Keep  us  as  under  the  shadow  of  Thy  wings  and  lead 
us  in  the  way  everlasting.     Amen. 

R.  Perry  Bush. 


(DttOtJtt  13  289 


Humble  are  we  when  good  in  little  ways,  — 
In  faithful  doing  of  the  common  things. 

The  gentle  passing  of  the  nights  and  days 

O'erfilled  with  stoned  blessings,  outward  flings 
A  simple  message,  yet  befitting  kings! 

Who  sees  a  duty,  and  his  hand  not  stays 
From  its  completion,  hears  a  song  and  sings 

To  hearts  through  misery  dumb;   who  softly  prays 
The  noble,  silent  prayer  that,  half  expressed, 

Leaps  up  to  heaven   unhindered  by  mans  ear, 
Straight  from  the  purified,  Love-guarded  breast; 
Who  stands  serene  amid  the  world's  dense  feart  — 

This  one  hath  found  a  ladder  to  the  sky 

Whose  every  rung  is  brave  humility. 

Evelyn  Sylvester  Knowles. 


Thou  Perfect  Life,  illumine  our  being  that  we  may 
discern  not  great,  not  little,  but  the  superlative; 
that  little  is  great  if  so  be  that  its  inspiration  is  genuine 
and  its  doing  carry  blessing  and  cheer,  and  that  great 
is  little  if  imbued  with  ignoble  feeling.  Reveal  to 
us  that  where  pain  is  lulled  in  human  experience, 
where  the  bereft  is  companioned  by  sympathy  and 
fellowship,  ■ —  the  divine,  the  perfect  has  transpired. 
Thus  in  Thy  light  we  shall  see  light  whether  the 
morning  or  the  evening  be  round  about  us.     Amen. 

Stanford  Mitchell. 


2go  (Dctofccr  14 


If  things  don  t  go  to  suit  you, 

What  use  to  frown  and  sigh  ? 
You  cant  frown  back  the  sunshine 

That's  missing  from  the  sky. 
Nor  frown  away  the  winter 

In  wishing  it  were  spring. 
The  wisest  thing  to  do,  my  friend, 

Is  just  keep  sweet  —  and  sing  ! 

Don't  fret,  and  fume,  and  worry, 

And  make  things  worse,  say  I, 
Since  we  can't  help  what's  happened; 

So  laugh  away  the  sigh, 
And  trust  that  on  the  morrow 

The  clouds  will  all  take  wing, 
Believing  God  knows  what  is  best; 

So  just  keep  sweet  —  and  sing  ! 

Eben  E.  Rexford. 


Our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  life  and  light 
of  this  day,  for  the  rest  and  strength  which  Thou  hast 
given  us.  We  trust  Thee  and  know  Thou  wilt  care 
for  us  in  the  night  as  in  the  day,  and  in  the  morning 
we  shall  be  still  with  Thee.  Help  us  to  put  away 
from  our  minds  all  anxious  care  and  to  go  to  our 
nightly  sleep  in  tranquillity  and  rise  from  our  slumber 
strengthened  for  the  new  duties  that  are  before  us. 
May  there  be  in  us  such  love  of  Thee  that  we  shall  joy 
in  Thy  service,  and  keep  every  law  which  Thou 
hast  given  us  in  body,  mind  and  spirit  now  and  ever- 
more.    Amen. 

Charles  A.  Hayden- 


(DCtOfcCV  15  291 

Do  well  thy  part 

With  hand  and  heart, 

Nor  let  dull  care 

Thy  spirit  wear; 
And  when  thou  feel'st  how  poor  and  weak  thou   art, 
Lean  thou  thy  head  on  God's  almighty  heart. 

The  fight  is  long, 

The  foe  is  strong; 

Thy  strength   is  small 

And  fears  appall; 
Fret  not  thyself  to  know  how  soon  the  strife  will  end, 
For  thou  may  st  safely  leave  it  all  to  God,  thy  Friend. 
Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 

O  God  our  Father  and  our  mother  too,  Thou  art 
nearer  to  us  tonight  than  the  air  we  breathe.  Help 
us  to  realize  that  the  everlasting  arms  are  underneath 
and  that  so  long  as  we  trust  in  Thee  no  real  harm 
can  befall  us.  Help  us  to  know  Thee  as  Lord  of  the 
day  and  of  the  night  also.  Grant  us  refreshing  sleep 
now  as  we  lay  us  down  and  so  live  in  us  tomorrow 
that  the  divine  incarnation  may  be  perpetuated  and 
that  our  unselfish  conduct  may  make  Thee  visible 
to  some  who  otherwise  would  never  understand 
Thee.  Give  us  patience  and  courage.  Keep  us 
brave  and  true.  Teach  us  all  the  lessons  Thou  wilt 
have  us  learn,  and  when  our  earth's  school  days  are 
over,  when  the  shadows  fall  and  it  is  time  for  us  to 
go  home,  grant,  O  Blessed  Master,  that  we  may 
awake  from  that  sleep  we  miscall  death  in  Thine 
arms  and  in  Thy  likeness  too.  For  Thy  sweet  name's 
sake.     Amen. 

Dillon  Bronson. 


292  (Dctotitr  16 


From   Thee  is  all  that  soothes  the  life  of  man, — 
His  high  endeavor,  and  his  glad  success, 
His  strength  to  suffer,  and  his  will  to  serve. 
But  oh,  Thou   bounteous  Giver  of  all  good, 
Thou   art  of  all  Thy  gifts   Thyself  the  crown  ! 
Give  what  Thou  canst,  without  Thee  we  are  poor, 
And  with  Thee  rich,  take  what  Thou  wilt  away. 

Cowper. 


O  God,  Our  Father,  another  day  of  life  is  gone. 
Thou  didst  give  it,  like  all  Thy  gifts,  not  to  keep, 
but  only  to  use.  That  which  we  tried  to  keep  for 
self  alone  already  fadeth  with  the  light  of  day.  That 
which  we  tried  to  use  in  service  abideth,  we  trust, 
in  riches  of  the  soul,  a  heavenly  treasure  to  bless 
each  coming  day.  We  thank  Thee,  Lord,  for  the 
tasks  that  challenge  all  our  powers,  for  the  triumph 
and  the  spirit  that  in  the  triumph  makes  us  more 
than  conquerors;  for  sin's  aftermath  of  forgiveness 
and  the  tried  gold  of  character  which  is  more  than 
innocence,  for  both  the  good  and  ill  of  life  and  the 
promise  of  the  wheat  that  remaineth  after  the  thresh- 
ing of  the  years;  for  all  which  Thou  hast  given 
without  and  the  more  upon  more  which  Thou  hast 
given  within,  we  thank  Thee.     Amen. 

Charles  S.   Hager. 


dHtotJcr  17  293 


Not  they  who  soar,  but  they  who  plod 
Their  rugged  way,  unhelped,  to  God, 
Are  heroes;   they  who  higher  fare, 
And,  flying,  fan  the  upper  air, 
Miss  all  the  toil  that  hugs  the  sod. 
'Tis  they  whose  backs  have  felt  the  rod, 
Whose  feet  have  pressed  the  path  unshod, 
May  smile  upon  defeated  care, 
Not  they  who  soar  ! 

High   up  there  are  no  thorns  to  prod, 
Nor  boulders  lurking  'neath  the  clod 
To  turn  the  keenness  of  the  share, 
For  flight  is  ever  free  and  rare; 
But  heroes  they  the  sot!  who've  trod. 
Not  they  who  soar  ! 

Paul  Laurence  Dunbar. 

0  Thou  with  whom  there  is  no  great  or  small, 
No  high  or  low,  I  thank  Thee  for  the  path 

By  which  Thy  love  hath  led  my  feet  today. 
When  it  was  rough,  if  I   but  thought  of  Thee, 

1  felt  Thee  near  and  straight  was    strong  and  glad, 
When  I  have  lack'd  for  strength,  it  was  my  fault, 
In  that  I  did  not  trust  Thee  as  I  should. 

Now  will  I  lay  me  down  as  in  Thine  arms, 
And  trust  Thee  for  the  night,  —  all  time  to  come, 
With  all  that  it  may  bring:   it  can  but  be 
The  best  my  heart  can  wish  to  live  in  Thee. 

Amen. 
II.   G.  Mitchell. 


294  dHtofctr  18 


"Hope  Thou  in  God,"  seems  to  me  the  key  with 
which  to  unlock  all  mysteries,  the  light  with  which 
to  drive  away  all  shadows,  the  warmth  with  which 
to  melt  all  the  snows  of  life.  Hope  is  the  interpretation 
of  sorrow  and  of  sin.  Winter  comes,  the  frost  touches 
with  its  blight  the  things  I  love,  storms  arise,  pestilence 
rages,  friends  forsake  me,  death  strikes  down  those  I 
hold  dear,  while  of  the  meaning  of  it  all  I  know  so 
little  !  But  let  me  only  believe  in  a  Father  who  knows 
all  about  it,  who  loves  me,  and  I  can  wait  patiently 
upon  His  will.  O  this  is  God's  world;  all  the  needed 
reforms  are  God's  reforms;  all  the  necessary  battles 
are  God's  battles!  Patience  then  !  "Hope  thou  in 
God." 

George  L.  Perin. 

Most  merciful  God,  in  all  the  changing  scenes  of 
life,  in  joy,  in  sorrow,  in  light  and  darkness,  in  pros- 
perity and  adversity,  in  sunshine  and  shadow,  in 
calm  and  storm,  our  hope  is  in  Thee,  the  living 
God.  Captives  of  sin,  we  hope  for  deliverance; 
walking  often  in  mist  and  gloom,  we  hope  for  light; 
tempest-tossed,  we  hope  for  the  sunlit  harbor;  wander- 
ing and  prodigal  children,  we  hope  to  reach  the 
Father's  house.  Strengthen,  we  beseech  Thee,  our 
hope,  and  clarify  our  vision  of  spiritual  things. 
Turn  our  expectation  into  fact,  our  hope  into  reality, 
and  help  us  to  wait  patiently  and  to  work  well  for 
the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  until  the  day  dawm 
and  the  shadows  flee  away.    Amen. 

David  G.   Wylie. 


©ttotirr  19  295 

Millet's  "  Angelus  "  does  not  present  some  great 
general,  or  hero,  or  martyr.  It  includes  a  potato 
patch,  a  few  brown  clods,  a  large  rake,  with  two  peasants 
in  humble  garb.  These  peasants,  however,  have 
accepted  their  task  and  their  temperament.  Above 
all  else,  they  love  each  other,  and  they  love  and  trust 
God.  When  the  evening  bell  rings,  in  beautiful  resigna- 
tion and  in  happy  hope  they  bow  their  heads  in 
gratitude  to  the  unseen  Father.  And  the  happiness 
in  their  hearts  appears  upon  their  faces  in  the  moment 
the  setting  sun  falls  upon  them  with  heaven  s  own  tender 
benediction.  For,  a  heart  gentle  and  sweet  can  flood 
with  spiritual  beauty  the  anvil,  the  yardstick,  the 
plow,  until  all  tools  and  tasks  become  sacramental  and 
divine. 

Newell  Dwight  Hillis. 

Our  Father,  in  the  glory  of  the  day's  retreating 
hours,  we  too  bow  reverently  before  Thee.  We 
bring  for  Thy  supervision,  our  unfinished  tasks. 
As  Thou  lookest  upon  them,  be  patient  with  our 
imperfect  service  and  pardon  our  mistakes.  Help 
us  to  do  better  work  on  the  morrow  if  in  Thy  grace 
we  are  to  have  its  added  privilege  afield  with  Thee. 
Somehow  the  sense  of  Thy  presence  brings  relief 
to  the  heart.  The  things  which  stood  out  in  the 
hard  lines  of  the  noon  are  softened  in  the  shadows 
of  the  evening,  as  we  look  to  Thee.  The  vesper  song 
of  Thy  comforting  word  brings  peace  and  rest  to 
our  tired  spirit,  and  this  companionship  with  the 
Christ  of  our  faith  transforms  our  humble  estate 
into  heavenly  likenesses.  May  it  be  so  for  us  always 
until  toiling  days  are  done.    Amen. 

Claude  Kelly. 


296  dKtotor  20 


The  man  who  does  not  hope  for  better  things,  and 
does  not  believe  that  better  things  can  be  brought  about, 
is  not  the  man  likely  to  bring  better  things  about.  .  .  . 
Pessimism  is  productive  of  paralysis  and  stagnation. 

William  H.  Taft. 


Never  give  way  to  melancholy.  Nothing  en- 
croaches more.  I  fight  against  it  vigorously.  One 
great  remedy  is,  to  take  short  views  of  life.  Are  you 
happy  now?  Are  you  likely  to  remain  so  till  tomorrow 
or  next  month,  or  next  year  ?  Then  why  destroy 
present  happiness  by  a  distant  misery  which  may 
never  come  at  all,  or  you  may  never  live  to  see  ?  For 
every  substantial  grief  has  twenty  shadows,  and  many 
of  them  shadows  of  your  own  making. 

Sydney  Smith. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  that  we 
have  lived  another  blessed  day.  Thou  hast  permitted 
us  to  bring  to  a  close  our  daily  tasks  with  peace  and 
serenity.  Thou  lettest  the  curtains  of  the  night  fall 
gently  around  us,  and  callest  us  to  rest.  We  yield 
ourselves  to  the  unconsciousness  of  sleep  confident 
that  Thou  who  never  slumberest  nor  sleepest  wilt 
guard  us  and  wake  us  to  another  useful  and  happy 
morning.  Let  no  impending  gloom  cloud  our  vision. 
Help  us  to  make  the  most  of  present  blessings,  and 
strive  to  renew  them  from  hour  to  hour  and  from 
day  to  day.  Let  us  be  evermore  Thy  loving  children, 
serving  Thee  with  willing  hearts.  Amen. 
E.  M.   Grant. 


<«Dctolietr  21  297 

One  who  went  singing  on  the  long  highroad 
Upon  his  shoulders  bore  a  heavy  load. 

A  sobbing  child  delayed  him  with  its   clinging, — 
Tender,  low,  and  strangely  sweet  his  singing. 

And  when   he  shared  a  drooping  comrade's  ills, 
His  song  rose  cheerily  to  meet  the  hills. 

A  woman  walked  beside  him  for  a  space; 

He  bore  her  load,  and  matched  her  feeble  pace. 

Then  laborers  in  distant  fields  stood  still 

To  hear  his  song,  and  felt  their  hearts  athrill. 

Footsore,  he  plodded  on  through  evening  dew; 
Yet  still  his  song  rose  bravely  to  the  blue. 

May  Turner. 

We  will  sing  unto  Thee,  O  Lord,  a  new  song:  we 
will  praise  Thee  for  Thy  goodness  unto  the  children 
of  men:  for  Thou  who  hast  given  power  unto  the 
faint  will  quicken  in  us  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and 
of  might,  the  spirit  of  hope  and  of  joy.  In  all  times 
of  sorrow  and  in  all  times  of  burden  bearing  Thou 
wilt  keep  our  hearts  from  failing  and  our  minds 
from  fear:  Thy  mercy  and  Thy  loving  kindness 
endure  forever  and  none  of  them  that  put  their 
trust  in  Thee  shall  be  desolate.  O  Thou  lover  of 
souls,  keep  our  faith  in  Thee  supreme,  I  pray  Thee, 
so  that  in  all  our  days  we  may  be  full  of  cheer  and 
in  all  our  nights  we  may  know  Thy  peace.     Amen. 

Thomas  Van  Ness. 


298  ©ctotor  22 


Til  not  confer  with  sorrow  till  tomorrow,  but  joy  shall 
have  her  way  this  very  day. 

T.  B.  Aldrich. 

While  I  sought  happiness,  she  fed 

Before  me  constantly; 
Weary,  I  turned  to  duty's  path, 

And  happiness  sought  me, 
Saying,  "I  walk  this  road  today, 

Til  bear  thee  company." 

Anonymous. 


O  Father  in  Heaven,  who  hast  given  us  life  that 
we  might  glorify  Thee,  and  therein  find  the  joy  of 
life,  we  give  Thee  thanks  for  Thy  purpose  in  our 
creation  and  for  Thy  continual  blessings,  fresh  each 
morning  and  renewed  at  eventide.  Be  pleased  to 
hear  our  prayer,  to  inspire  us  anew  with  the  grace 
of  Thy  guidance.  Make  duty  plain  in  our  sight  and 
grant  us  strength  to  follow  in  the  highway  of  service, 
turning  from  all  by  and  forbidden  paths,  that  so 
the  coming  day  may  be  one  of  happiness  and  peace, 
walking  in  the  faith  and  fellowship  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.     Amen. 

Frederick  Harlan   Page. 


dntofrcr  23  299 


'  Better  than  grandeur,  better  than  gold, 
Than  rank  and  title  a  thousandfold, 
Is  a  healthy  body,  a  mind  at  ease, 
And  simple  manners  that  always  please, 
A  heart  that  can  feel  for  another's  woe, 
And  share  his  joys  with  a  genial  glow, — 
With  sympathies  large  enough  to  enfold 
All  men  as  brothers  —  is  better  than  gold." 

One's  chieftest  duty  here  below 

Is  not  the  seeming  great  to  do, 

That  the  vain  world  may  pause  to  see, 

But  in  steadfast  humility 

To  walk  the  common  walk,  and  bear 

The  thousand  things,  the  trifling  care, 

In  love,  with  wisdom,  patiently. 

Thus  each  one  in   his  narrow  groove 

The  great  world  nearer  God  may  move. 

Matthew  Hunt. 

O  Lord,  we  love  to  love  Thee,  Thy  yoke  is  easy, 
Thy  burden  light.  Bearing  them  we  find  rtst  for 
our  souls.  Thou  forgivest  our  sins.  Thou  helpest 
our  weakness,  Thou  rememberest  that  we  are  dust. 
We  bless  and  magnify  Thy  name.  But  we  know  that 
prayer  and  praise  are  acceptable  only  as  they  lead 
to  service.  ^Ye  can  minister  unto  Thee  only  as  we 
help  the  helpless,  cheer  the  sorrowing,  lift  up  the 
fallen.  Oh,  how  good,  how  merciful,  how  gracious 
Thou  art!  May  every  knee  bow  and  every  tongue 
confess  Thee!     Amen. 

David  H.  Moore. 


3oo  <5)ttofotr  24 


Be  not  much  troubled  about  many  things, 
Fear  often   hath   no  whit  of  substance  in   it, 

And  lives  but  just  a  minute; 
While  from  the  very  snow  the  wheat-blade  springs. 

And  light  is  like  a  flower, 
That  bursts  in  full  leaf  from  the  darkest  hour. 

And  He  who  made  the  night, 
Made,  too,  the  flowery  sweetness  of  the  light, 
Be  it  thy  task,  through  His  good  grace,  to  win  it. 

Alice  Cary. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  the  Father  of  lights,  with 
whom  there  are  no  shadows,  we  thank  Thee  for  our 
daylight  in  which  to  work  and  our  night  in  which  to 
rest.  Graciously  pardon  our  sins  this  day  and  guard 
our  slumbers  this  night.  As  we  enter  shadows  of 
discipline,  teach  us  not  to  be  afraid  of  the  dark, 
for  to  Thee  the  darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike. 
May  perfect  love  take  away  all  our  fears.  When 
placed  in  darkened  rooms  that  our  spiritual  vision, 
diseased  by  sin,  may  be  prepared  for  the  coming 
glory,  may  we  have  with  us  the  Great  Physician  to 
heal  and  to  comfort  us.  In  due  season  bring  us  to 
heaven's  eternal  day.     Amen. 

WlLLARD    T.     PERRIN. 


(Dctofcer  25  3°! 


/  think  we  are  too  ready  with  complaint 
In  this  fair  world  of  God's. 
Be  comforted  ! 
And  like  a  cheerful  traveler,  take  the  road, 

Singing  beside  the  hedge  !     What  if  the  bread 
Be  bitter  in  thine  inn,  and  thou   unshod 

To  meet  the  flints  ?     At  least  it  may  be  said, 
"  Because  the  way  ts  short,  I  thank  Thee,  God." 
Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning. 


We  give  Thee  thanks,  our  Father,  that  it  has  been 
ours  this  day,  to  live  "  Where  cross  the  crowded 
ways  of  life  "  and  that  Thou  hast  not  put  us  here  to 
play,  to  dream,  to  drift,  but  that  we  have  hard  work 
to  do,  —  loads  to  lift.  Help  us  in  the  busy  life  we 
lead  to  keep  ourselves  open  to  the  skies  as  did  the 
Shepherds  on  Bethlehem's  plain.  We  desire  to  be 
faithful  in  the  performance  of  these  daily  tasks,  yet 
not  so  closely  bound  by  them  as  to  miss  the  splendors 
of  the  upper  world.  Give  to  us  wisdom  so  to  order 
our  lives  that  we  shall  neither  fail  to  hear  the  Angel's 
song  nor  slight  the  Shepherd's  task.  In  the  name  of 
Him  who  perfectly  lived  the  earth  life  and  yet  obeyed 
the  vision  of  heaven,  we  ask  it.    Amen. 

Julian  S.  Wadsworth. 


302  #ctotier  26 

If  /  had  the  time  to  find  a  place 
And  sit  me  down  full  face  to  face 

With  my  better  self,  that  cannot  show 

In   my  daily  life  that  rushes  so : 
It  might  be  then  I  would  see  my  soul 
Was  stumbling  still  towards  the  shining  goal, 

I  might  be  nerved  by  the  thought  sublime, — 
//  /  had  the  time  ! 

If  I  had  the  time  to  let  my  heart 
Speak  out  and  in   my  life  take  a  part, 
To  look  about  and  to  stretch  a  hand 
To  a  comrade  quartered  in   no-luck  land; 
Ah,  God !     If  I  might  but  just  sit  still 
And  hear  the  note  of  the  whip-poor-will, 

I  think  that  my  wish  with  God's  would  rhyme, — 
//  /  had  the  time  ! 

Richard  Burton. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  has  filled  our  hearts  this 
day  and  enabled  us  to  live  in  close  touch  with  Thee, 
and  so  in  close  touch  with  humanity.  Grant  we 
beseech  Thee  a  blessing  upon  every  word  we  have 
spoken  this  day,  that  it  may  prove  a  message  of 
cheer  to  some  fainting  soul,  —  every  smile  we  have 
given  that  it  may  come  as  a  light  of  hope  to  a  cheerless 
heart  —  every  note  that  we  have  written  to  a  friend 
in  distant  lands,  longing  for  home  and  love  of  kindred 
souls.  Take  us  all  in  Thy  keeping,  as  the  night 
closes  about  us  and  we  are  one  day's  journey  nearer 
to  that  fair  city  where  angels  sing  — "  There  shall 
be  no  night  there."     Amen. 

Winfield  Scott. 


October  27  303 


/  am  not  bound  to  win,  but  I  am  bound  to  be  true; 
I  am  not  bound  to  succeed,  but  I  am  bound  to  live  up 
to  what  light  I  have. 

Abraham  Lincoln. 

Honest  love,  honest  sorrow, 
Honest  work  for  the  day,  honest  hope  for  the  morrow, 
Are  these  worth  nothing  more  than  the  hand  they  make 

weary, 
The  heart  they  have  saddened,  the  life  they  leave  dreary  ? 
Hush  !   the  sevenfold  heavens  to  the  voice  of  the  Spirit 
Echo,  "  He  that  o'ercometh  shall  all  things  inherit  !  " 

Owen  Meredith. 


God  of  the  still,  cool  darkness,  after  the  labor  and 
care  of  the  hours  of  light,  lay  Thy  soothing  hand 
upon  our  tense  and  fevered  spirits  that  we  may 
relax  from  strain  and  allow  the  overtaxed  pulse  to 
subside  to  a  peaceful  rhythm.  Have  our  endeavors 
and  experiences  this  day  wrought  out  profit  or  proved 
impotent  for  true  gain  ?  Thou  alone  knowest;  our 
standards  are  so  faulty  we  cannot  tell.  Of  one  thing 
alone  are  we  humbly  sure;  in  thought,  in  feeling, 
in  purpose,  we  have  striven  to  be  nobly  sincere, 
searchingly  honest.  The  issue  is  Thine;  we  would 
leave  it  in  Thy  hands  without  misgiving,  for  there 
is  a  cheering  whisper  in  our  deeper  hearts  that  even 
our  halting,  faulty  best,  because  it  is  our  best,  is 
not  in  vain.  Close  our  eyes!  Good  night!  Thou 
watchest,  and  all  is  well.  Amen. 
Thomas  W.  Illman. 


304  (kctofm;  28 


My  little  four  year  old  boy  lay  sick  and  restless,  fever- 
flushed  at  night,  while  I  lay  beside  him  in  the  dark. 
Every  now  and  then  the  child  half  sleeping,  half 
waking,  would  speak  out,  "  Fadder!  "  "  Yes,  dear" 
the  answer  came.  Hello,  Fadder,"  the  little  one  would 
say  and  drop  again  to  sleep.  Thus  it  is  that  we, 
children  all,  fever-flushed  and  troubled,  as  if  in  dreams, 
call  out  "Father"  in  the  dark.  He  answers,  "  Yes, 
dear,  I  am  here"  and  in  Him  we  find  peace  and  rest. 

George  L.  Perin. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  how  sweet  it  is  to  feel  that 
Thou  art  ever  near  enough  to  hear  our  troubled 
cry!  We  are  often  tired,  sick  or  lonely.  We  are  tried 
beyond  our  strength.  We  sometimes  fail  and  deem 
the  struggle  useless.  Then  like  the  little  child  in 
troubled  dreams  crying  out  for  love,  we  come  to 
Thee.  Nor  do  we  come  to  Thee  in  vain.  Thou 
speakest,  if  hearts  will  listen,  in  tones  more  tender 
than  those  of  mother  love.  O  speak  to  us  tonight 
and  give  us  peace.    Amen. 

Florence  H.  Perin. 


October  20  305 


Pity  me  not:    it  makes  me  pitiful. 

Grieve  not  for  me;    'twill  see  me  grieving,  too. 
Come  not  forbodingly,  but  courageful, 

And  speak  the  shining  word  that's  strong  and  true. 

If  you  would  have  me  fearless,  have  no  fears; 

If  you  would  have  me  light  and  sorrow-free, 
Then  give  your  steps  the  music  of  the  spheres, 

Make  your  eye  steadfast  as  eternity. 

Anonymous. 


Dear  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  faith,  the  hope 
and  the  love  Thou  hast  implanted  in  our  souls,  that 
enables  us  to  be  brave  and  tender,  strong  and  patient 
at  all  times  and  seasons.  And  we  thank  Thee  for 
that  splendid  courage  that  is  our  inheritance  from 
Thee,  by  and  through  which  we  may  pass  through 
the  Valley  of  the  Shadows  of  sorrow  and  loss  un- 
harmed, aye!  even  triumphant.  And  help  us  to 
give  to  those  about  us  something  better  than  pity. 
Help  us  to  give  courage  to  endure,  faith  to  believe 
that  Thy  guiding  hand  is  leading,  and  to  feel  assured 
that  all  is  well.  Help  us  that  in  thought  and  word 
and  deed  we  may  be  to  others  a  source  of  good  cheer 
and   courage.     Amen. 

Florence  Kollock  Crookek. 


306  (DttOfJCV  30 


Fear  thou  not;  for  I  am  with  thee:  be  not  dismayed; 
for  I  am  thy  God:  I  will  strengthen  thee,  yea,  I  will 
help  thee. 

Isaiah  xli.  io. 

/  have  talked  with  old  colored  men,  who,  storm- 
driven,  have  gone  to  God,  because  they  had  nothing 
else  to  go  to,  and  who  had  a  richness  -and  wonderfulness 
of  experience  that  I  had  no  parallel  to  myself,  though 
I  was  a  preacher,  and  my  business  was  to  study.  A 
God  that  you  have  studied  out  can  never  be  such  a 
God  as  you  have  felt  out. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 

Be  Thou  my  guide,  and  I  will  walk  in  darkness 
As  one  who  treads  the   beamy  heights  of  day, 

Feeling  a  gladness  amidst  desert  sadness, 
And  breathing  vernal  fragrance  all  the  way. 

Be  Thou  my  wealth,  and  reft  of  all  besides  Thee, 
I  will  forget  the  strife  for  meaner  things, 

Blessed  in  the  sweetness  of  Thy  rare  completeness, 
And  opulent  beyond  the  dream  of  kings. 

Be  Thou  my  strength,  O  lowly  One  and  saintly. 

And,  though  unvisioned  ills  about  me  throng, 
Though  danger  woo  me  and  deceit  pursue  me, 

Yet  in  the  thought  of  Thee  I  will  be  strong. 

Amen. 

Florence  Earle  Coates. 


©ctotirr  31  307 


Finish  every  day  and  be  done  with  it.  You  have 
done  what  you  could.  Some  blunders  and  absurdities, 
no  doubt,  crept  in;  forget  them  as  soon  as  you  can. 
Tomorrow  is  a  new  day;  begin  it  well  and  serenely, 
and  with  too  high  a  spirit  to  be  cumbered  with  your 
old  nonsense.  This  day  is  all  that  is  good  and  fair. 
It  is  too  dear,  with  its  hopes  and  invitations,  to  waste 
a  moment  on  the  yesterdays. 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 

Father,  I  scarcely  dare  to  pray, 
So  clear  I  see,  now  it  is  done, 
That  I  have  wasted   half  my  day 
And  left  my  work  but  just  begun. 

So  clear,  I  see,  what  I  thought 
Was  right,  or  harmless,  was  a  sin, 
So  clear,  I  see,  that  I  have  sought 
Unconscious,  selfish  aims  to  win. 

So  clear,  I  see,  that  I  have  hurt 
The  souls  I  thought  to  win,  or  save, 
That  I  have  selfish  been,  inert, 
Deaf  to  the  call  my  Leader  gave. 

In  outskirts  of  Thy  kingdom,  vast, 
Father,  the  humblest  spot  give  me. 
Set  me  the  lowliest  task  Thou  hast. 
Let  me,  repentant,  work  for  Thee. 

Helen  Hunt  Tackson. 


3o8  TXfofoemtjer  l 


Once  the  daisies  gold  and  white 
Sea-like  through  the  meadows  rolled: 
Once  my  heart  could  hardly  hold 
All  its  pleasures,  —  /  remember, 
In  the  flood  of  youth's  delight 
Separate  joys  were  lost  to  sight. 
That  was  summer  !     Now  November 
Sets  the  perfect  flower  apart; 
Gives  each   blossom  of  the  heart 
Meaning,  beauty,  grace  unknown, — 
Blooming  late  and  all  alone. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


Dear  Father  of  us  all,  Thou  makest  the  outgoings 
of  the  mornJng  and  of  the  evening  to  rejoice,  and 
visitest  with  equal  favor  the  early  and  the  later  year. 
In  this  evening  of  an  autumn  day  we  thank  Thee 
for  Thy  varied  gifts,  —  for  swift,  changing,  multitu- 
dinous gifts  which  make  glad  the  eager,  uncritical 
heart  of  youth;  for  detailed  perfection  which  satisfies 
the  discriminating  needs  of  wise  maturity.  Help 
us,  we  pray  Thee,  so  that  our  varied  tastes  and  bless- 
ings may  not  separate  us  one  from  another.  On 
the  other  hand,  move  us  to  such  appreciation  of  the 
common  Source  of  all  our  joys  that  we  may  be  kept, 
like  the  parts  of  the  day,  like  the  parts  of  the  year,  in 
perfect  unity.  In  everything  keep  Thou  us;  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Charles  R.  Tenney. 


ISTotirmlicr  2  309 

When  I  heard  the  learn' d  astronomer, 

When  the  proofs,  the   figures,  were  ranged  in  columns 
before  me, 

When  I  was  shown  the  charts  and  diagrams,  to  add, 
divide,  and  measure  them, 

When   I  sitting  heard  the   astronomer  where   he  lec- 
tured with  much  applause  in  the  lecture  room, 

How  soon   unaccountable  I  became  tired  and  sick, 

Till  rising  and  gliding  out  I  wander  d  off  by  myself, 

In    the    mystical    moist    night-air,    and   from    time    to 
time, 

Look'd  up  in  perfect  silence  at  the  stars. 

Walt  Whitman. 

O  God  of  the  heavens,  wherever  we  look  for  sup- 
port and  consolation  out  of  Thee,  we  find  nothing 
but  weakness  and  distress:  and  if  Thou  dost  not 
revive,  strengthen  and  illuminate,  deliver  and  pre- 
serve me,  the  friendship  of  mankind  can  give  no 
consolation,  the  strength  of  the  mighty  brings  no 
support,  the  counsel  of  the  wise,  and  the  labors  of 
the  learned,  impart  no  instruction,  the  treasures  of 
the  earth  purchase  no  deliverance,  and  the  most 
secret  places  afford  no  protection.  All  persons  and 
things  that  seem  to  promise  peace  and  happiness 
are  in  themselves  vanity  and  nothing,  and  subvert 
the  hope  that  is  built  upon  them:  but  Thou  art  the 
supreme,  essential,  and  final  good;  the  perfection  of 
life,  light,  and  love!  Unto  Thee  do  we  lift  up  our 
eyes,  O  Thou  that  dwellest  in  the  heavens!  In  Thee, 
the  Father  of  Mercies,  we  place  all  our  confidence! 
Amen. 

Thomas  a  Kempis. 


3io  "Notmutjcr  3 


Just  whistle  a  bit,  if  the  night  be  drear 

And  the  stars  refuse  to  shine; 
And  a  gleam  that  mocks  the  starlight  clear 

Within  you  glows  benign. 

Till  the  dearth  of  light  in  the  glooming  skies 
Is  lost  to  the  sight  of  your  soul-lit  eyes. 
What  matters  the  absence  of  moon  or  star  ? 
The  light  within  is  the  best  by  far. 


Just  whistle  a  bit,  if  your  heart  be  sore, 

'Tts  a  wonderful  balm  for  pain. 
Just  pipe  some  old  melody  o'er  and  o'er 

Till  it  soothes  like  summer  rain. 

Paul  Laurence  Dunbar. 

For  the  glory  of  the  day,  O  God,  we  thank  Thee; 
for  the  gracious  peace  of  the  night  we  are  grateful, 
for  Thou  art  in  both,  and  we  are  never  separated 
from  Thee.  Sometimes  we  see  Thee  better  in  the 
darkness  than  in  the  day,  if  we  but  open  our  eyes  to 
the  light  of  Thy  glory,  our  lips  with  music  in  Thy 
praise,  and  our  hearts  to  receive  Thy  love.  In  the 
confidence  and  joy  of  Thy  conscious  presence  with 
us,  may  we  find  peace  in  this  night,  which,  like  the 
day,  is  Thy  dwelling  place  and  the  home  of  Thy 
loving  children.     Amen. 

Frederick  A.  Bisbee. 


ttfotoemtor  4  311 


From  the  vexed  shore  I  watched  the  storming  main; 
The  trembling  earth  recoiled  and  shook  again 
As  from  the  blows  of  some  gigantic  hand 
That  hurled  the  billows  high   upon   the  strand. 
Rejoicing,  thought  I:     "  Mighty  though  thou  art, 
Less  mighty  thou,  O  Sea,  than   man's  brave  heart. 
Thou  canst  not  heave  thy  raging  waves  so  high 
But  some  proud  keel  thy  fury  will    defy; 
Thou   hast  no  depths  so  gloomy  or  profound 
Man  with  his  daring  plummet  may  not  sound, 
And  while  thy  tempests  and  tornadoes  roar 
He  whispers  through  the  deep,  from  shore  to  shore." 
Henry  Nehemiah  Dodge. 


Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  who  hast 
made  us  in  Thine  own  image,  our  hearts  are  full  of 
gratitude  for  all  Thy  manifold  blessings,  but  above 
all  that  Thou  hast  endowed  our  humanity  with 
something  of  the  same  marvelous  power  which  makes 
Thee  our  God  and  Sovereign  Lord.  We  thank  Thee 
that  no  wreck  or  storm,  no  disaster  or  defeat,  no 
pain  or  sorrow  has  power  to  overwhelm  us,  if  through 
faith  we  keep  our  heart  reverently  open  to  Thy  power 
and  love.  Thou  hast  made  us  only  a  little  lower  than 
the  angels  and  given  us  dominion  over  the  earth. 
O  grant  us  mastery  over  these  hearts  and  wills  of 
ours  that  we  may  make  them  Thine,  humbly  obedient 
to  Thy  every  command.    Amen. 

James  F.  Albion. 


3i2  tKTofocm&cr  5 


0  Angel  Night!     Come  close!     My  weary  form 
With  your  star-beauteous  draperies  enfold ! 

Lay  firmly  on  my  hot,  day-wrinkled  brow 
Tour  palms,  compassionate  and  cold. 

Untwine  the  discontented,  tangled  thoughts, 
Show  to  my  eyes  the  steady,  blinding  light 

Of  the  All-Spirit!      Teach  my  tired  heart 
To  rest  in  Love's  unchanging  night! 

Help  me  to  find  the  calm  that  buries  self 

And  frees  the  soul  to  regions  pure  and  high; 

Teach  me  the  inner  loveliness  of  life 
And  how  sublime  it  is  to  die! 

Warn  me,  —  while  waiting  on  that  sacred  hour 
For  which  I  breathe,  —  to  live  so  that  my  best 

Alone  survives!    But  now,  —  just  now  —  dear  Night, 
Give  me  your  kiss  of  rest! 

Mary  Vicario. 

Heavenly  Father,  as  children  that  are  hurt  are 
caught  in  the  bosom  of  a  mother's  love  and  hushed, 
and  scarcely  know  what  hath  comforted  them,  or 
what  strange  joy  hath  befallen  them,  so  be  pleased 
to  fulfil  that  declaration  that  Thy  love  and  remem- 
brance are  more  than  a  mother's,  and  take  into  the 
arms  of  divine  consolation  those  that  need  Thee, 
that  they  may  be  hushed  in  Thy  bosom,  and  find 
there  that  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding. 
Amen. 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Notomticr  o  3*3 


We're  old  folks   now,  companion, 

Our  heads,  they  are  growing  gray; 
But  taking  the  year,  all  round,  my  dear, 

You  always  will  find  the  May. 
We've  had  our  May,  my  darling, 

And  our  roses,  long  ago; 
And  the  time  of  the  year  is  come,  my  dear, 

For  the  silent  night  and  the  snow. 

And  God  is  God,  my  darling, 

Of  night  as  well  as  of  day, 
And  we  feel  and  know  that  we  can  go 

Wherever  He  leads  the  way. 
Aye!    God  of  the  night,  my  darling, — 

Of  the  night  of  death  so  grim: 
And  the  gate  that  from  life  leads  out,  good  wife, 

Is  the  gate  that  leads  to  Him! 

Alice  Cary. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  rejoice  in  the  thought 
that  in  Thine  economy  there  is  no  night,  no  winter, 
no  despair,  no  old  age.  Whether  our  hair  be  white 
or  black,  our  step  be  strong  and  elastic  or  feeble  and 
halting,  we  are  just  Thy  children  only  beginning  life. 
Let  us  put  our  hands  in  thine  hopefully  as  if  starting 
upon  a  long  journey  and  trustfully  as  those  who  are 
not  afraid,  and  with  strength  of  purpose  as  those 
who  walk  with  God.     Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


3i4  :Notoemf>tr  7 


In  the  secluded  garden  of  Christ's  College,  at  Cam- 
bridge, there  is  a  mulberry-tree  of  which  tradition  says 
that  it  was  planted  by  John  Milton  in  his  student 
days.  I  remember  sitting  on  the  green  turf  below  it,  a 
few  years  ago,  and  looking  up  at  the  branches,  heavy 
with  age,  and  propped  on  crutches,  and  wondering 
to  see  that  the  old  tree  still  brought  fruit.  It  was  not 
the  size  nor  the  quality  of  the  fruit  that  impressed  me. 
I  hardly  thought  of  that.  The  strange  thing,  the 
beautiful  thing,  was  that,  after  so  many  years,  the  tree 
was  yet  bearing. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven;  we  thank  Thee 
that,  whether  we  be  young  and  strong  or  old  and 
weak,  happy  in  the  midst  of  friends  or  longing  for 
faces  out  of  sight,  enduring  temptation  or  triumphant 
after  trial,  we  have  it  always  within  our  power  to 
make  known  in  our  daily  living  the  spirit  of  the  Mas- 
ter's gospel.  To  do  this  is  to  bless  the  world  around 
us,  and  please  Thee,  and  add  content  unto  our  own 
hearts.  May  we  rest  in  peace  this  night,  our  Father, 
and  awake  tomorrow  grateful  and  trustful,  glad  to 
live  another  day  and  do  Thy  will.    Amen. 

Charles  H.  Puffer. 


Notoemticr  8  315 


No  longer  forward  nor  behind 

I  look  in  hope  or  fear; 
But,  grateful,  take  the  good  I  find, 

The  best  of  now  and  here. 
All  as  God  wills,  who  wisely  heeds 

To  give  or  to  withhold, 
And  knoweth  more  of  all  my  needs 

Than  all  my  prayers  have  told. 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 

There  is  a  sense  in  which  the  life  of  every  man,  how- 
ever spiritually  stifled  by  the  poisonous  atmosphere  of 
the  degradation  in  which  he  lives,  is  held  in  the  grip 
of  God,  hidden  in  the  bosom  of  God,  the  object  of  God's 
care  and  God's  responsibility,  though,  as  yet,  he  knows 
it  not,  as  the  unborn  child  knows  not  how  near  it  is 
to  the  mother's  beating  heart. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 

All-loving  God,  who  hast  made  rich  with  oppor- 
tunity the  hours  of  this  day,  and  hast  opened  our 
eyes  to  see  the  smile  upon  the  face  of  duty,  in  the 
hours  of  rest  give  us  the  noble  satisfaction  which  came 
through  the  memory  of  service.  If  we  have  seemed 
to  accomplish  little,  may  we  remember  that  every 
just  and  loving  act  has  made  us  co-laborers  with 
Thee.  Save  us  from  the  discouragements  which  are 
Thy  judgments  upon  selfishness,  and  give  us  a  sense 
of  the  grandeur,  the  glory  and  the  eternal  value  of  the 
life  which  sees  itself  as  a  part  of  Thine  infinite  pur- 
pose. With  the  joy  that  Thou  art  with  us  may  we 
rest  in  peace  this  night.     Amen. 

Harris  G.  Hale. 


316  Notoemtott:  9 


And  I  will  bring  the  blind  by  a  way  that  they  knew 
not;  I  will  lead  them  in  paths  that  they  have  not 
known:  I  will  make  darkness  light  before  them,  and 
crooked  things  straight.  These  things  will  I  do  unto 
them,  and  not  forsake  them. 

Isaiah  xlii.   16. 

God!      Thou  art  love!     I  build  my  faith  on  that! 
.  .  .  So  doth   Thy  right  hand  guide  us  through  the 

world 
Wherein  we  stumble.     God!     What  shall  we  say? 

.  .  .  He  erred,  — ■ 
Save  htm,  dear  God;    it  will  be  like  Thee:   bathe  him 
In  light  and  life!     Thou  art  not  made  like  us: 
We  should  be  wroth  in  such  a  case:   but  Thou 
Forgwest. 

Robert  Browning. 


Abide  with  us,  that  we  may  feel  that  our  sins  are 
forgiven.  Abide  with  us,  for  we  see  in  the  past  our 
follies  and  our  faults,  and  would  wrong  no  more. 
Abide  with  us  as  we  lie  down  to  gentle  sleep,  that 
it  may  be  gentle  and  refreshing  to  us,  that  pure 
thoughts  may  keep  the  portals  of  our  dreams,  and 
God's  blessing  hold  watch  over  us.     Amen. 

E.  H.  Chapin. 


Xotoemftcr  10  31; 


A  happy  disposition  is  largely  a  disposition  to  make 
others  happy.  One  life  permeates  all  things,  and  there 
is  no  corner  of  the  cosmos  too  remote  to  feel  its  heart 
throb. 

Henry  Wood. 

Hast  thou   no  ray  of  inborn  light 

To  make  some  shadowed  life  more  bright  ? 

Then   be  a  lens!     Catch  every  gleam. 
And  flash   it  on,  a  shining  beam! 

Sunshine  reflected  can  illume 
The  darkest  corner  of  a  room! 

Aldis  Dunbar. 

Master  of  Life,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  gift  of  life. 
This  day  has  carried  us  a  little  deeper  into  its  mys- 
tery. Joy  and  pain,  knowledge  and  ignorance,  have 
come  to  us  out  of  the  infinite.  But  the  heart  of  the 
mystery  is  Thy  friendship  for  us.  And  Thy  friendship 
knits  our  knowledge  and  our  ignorance,  our  joy 
and  our  pain,  into  a  seamless  robe  of  the  spirit.  The 
light  of  the  sun  has  gladdened  our  eyes.  The  light 
of  Thy  love  has  gladdened  our  souls.  With  hearts 
aglow  with  gratitude  and  trust,  we  lay  ourselves  to 
rest,  praying  that  on  the  morrow  we  may  wake  up 
after  Thy  likeness,  eager  to  serve  our  fellows,  and  in 
renewed  hope  of  the  life  eternal.     Amen. 

Henry  S.  Nash. 


318  Xotamfcer  n 


Opportunities  do  not  come  with  their  values  stamped 
upon  them.  Every  one  must  be  challenged.  A  day 
dawns  quite  like  other  days;  in  it  a  single  hour  comes, 
quite  like  other  hours;  but  in  that  day  and  in  that  hour 
the  chance  of  a  lifetime  faces  us.  To  face  every  oppor- 
tunity of  life  thoughtfully,  and  ask  its  meaning  frankly 
and  earnestly,  is  the  only  way  to  meet  the  supreme 
opportunities,  when  they  come,  whether  open-faced  or 
disguised. 

Maltbie  D.  Babcock. 


Eternal  Father,  who  dost  cause  the  outgoing  of 
the  morning  and  evening  to  rejoice;  whose  mercy  is 
new  every  morning,  and  fresh  every  evening,  grant 
that  the  close  of  the  day  may  bring  rest  and  peace 
to  spirits  weary  and  troubled.  May  the  quiet  night 
be  beautiful  with  the  shining  of  the  stars.  If  the 
record  of  the  day  show  imperfection  and  failure,  do 
Thou  forgive;  if  it  show  success,  and  worthy  accom- 
plishment, then  Thine  be  the  glory.  Give  a  proper 
outlook  upon  time,  and  upon  eternity,  the  power  to 
set  things  in  right  relations,  and  to  estimate  and 
compare  values.  Help  in  the  realization  of  every 
noble  ideal,  and  the  fulfilment  of  every  holy  purpose, 
and  at  evening  time  may  it  be  light.  Amen. 
Walter  D.  Cole. 


'Notamlitr  12  3^ 


I've  got  a  gray  hair  somewhere;  .  .  .  I  am  old.   .  .   . 
And  yet  I  feel,  today,  like  a  child.  .  .  . 

I  am  a  child.  God's  child,  with  His  eternity  before 
me,  and  the  good  in  it  that  I  have  been  waiting  for 
.  .  .  all  these  years. 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney. 

What  will  you  say  to  the  old  man  whose  friends  have 
scattered,  whose  fortune  has  taken  wings  and  whose  life 
is  embittered  ?  I  do  not  know  what  you  will  say.  But 
I  know  what  I  will  say.  I  will  say  to  him:  "  Never 
mind,  old  man;  in  God's  economy  there  is  no  old  age. 
Each  man  is  just  a  child  of  God.  Put  your  hand  in 
God's  hand  and  do  not  be  afraid." 

George  L.  Perin. 

To  us,  O  God,  the  passing  of  another  day  is  the 
shortening  of  the  span  of  human  life,  but  to  Thee 
a  thousand  years  are  but  as  a  single  day.  The  body, 
as  life  goes  on,  bears  the  scars  of  years,  but  it  is  only 
the  house  in  which  we  live  and  the  soul  never  feels 
the  infirmities  of  age.  It  is  downed  with  eternal 
youth.  May  we  so  realize  Thy  protecting  care  that 
we  may  know  that  if  this  earthly  house  be  wasted 
with  the  years,  we  have  another  home,  a  house  not 
made  with  hands,  and  if  increasing  years  unclothe 
us  of  our  strength,  it  is  not  that  we  shall  be  naked, 
but  clothed  upon.  So  may  we  in  faith  and  hope 
and  trust  lie  down  to  refreshing  sleep  and  pleasant 
dreams.     Amen. 

Almon  Gunnison. 


32o  'Notoemtjcv  13 


Every  day  look  at  a  beautiful  picture,  read  a  beautiful 
poem,  listen  to  beautiful  music,  and,  if  possible,  say 
some  reasonable  thing. 

Goethe. 

Don't  hang  a  dismal  picture  on  the  wall,  and  do  not 
daub  with  sables  and  glooms  in  your  conversation. 
Don't  be  a  cynic  and  disconsolate  preacher.  Don't 
bewail  and  bemoan.  Omit  the  negative  propositions. 
Nerve  us  with  incessant  affirmatives.  Don't  waste 
yourself  in  rejection,  nor  bark  against  the  bad,  but 
chant  the  beauty  of  the  good. 

Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 

O  Thou  most  loving  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for 
the  sweet  picture  we  hang  upon  the  walls  of  memory  this 
evening  hour,  painted  so  delicately  and  beautifully 
as  to  be  a  living  inspiration,  lending  rich  cheer  to 
our  thought  and  conversation,  and  that  gladness  of 
spirit  which  transforms  touches  of  sorrow  into  gleams 
of  joy.  We  thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast  led  us  along 
the  roadway  of  helpfulness  this  day  !  Where  we 
found  the  Christ  coming  to  us  in  some  disconsolate 
life,  and  our  word  was  the  touch  that  opened  the 
door  and  let  in  beams  of  light  to  that  troubled  soul. 
We  pray  that  we  may  ever  be  able  to  sound  notes 
of  music  in  other  lives,  that  will  make  melody  through 
the  years,  and  life  sweeter  and  richer  thereby.  Wher- 
ever we  go  may  we  create  sunshine  in  the  world, 
that  its  warmth  may  bathe  the  lives  of  those  around 
us,  and  make  pleasant  paths  for  them  to  walk  in. 
Amen. 

Moses  H.  Harris. 


TSTotocwticr  14  321 


It  is  the  mind  that  maketh  good  or  ill, 
That  maketh  wretch  or  happy,  rich  or  poor; 
For  some  that  hath  abundance  at  his  will 
Hath  not  enough,  but  wants  in  greatest  store; 
And  other  that  hath  little  asks  no  more, 
But  in  that  little  is  both  rich  and  wise; 
For  wisdom  is  most  riches;   fools  therefore 
They  are,  which  fortunes  do  by  vows  devise; 
Sith  each  unto  himself  his  life  may  fortunise. 

Spenser. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  another 
day,  for  life  and  strength  and  opportunity,  for  all 
the  blessings  of  our  outward  being.  But  we  thank 
Thee  far  more  for  that  divinity  within  us  that  has 
enabled  us  to  use  these  things  for  some  higher  attain- 
ment of  spiritual  excellence,  or  in  their  absence  to 
grasp  and  hold  the  loftier  life,  and  even  in  poverty 
and  failure  to  be  rich  and  blest.  For  whatever  we 
have  attained,  for  all  we  have  been  able  to  do  for 
others,  we  give  Thee  thanks.  And  now,  assured  that 
in  future  days  Thou  wilt  be  still  our  guide  and  the 
light  upon  our  way,  we  commit  ourselves  in  sleep 
to  Thy  faithful  keeping,  content  to  know  that  when 
we  awake  we  shall  be  still  with  Thee.  Amen. 
J.  Smith  Dodge. 


322  :tfotmut>cr  15 

Sometimes,  I  think,  the  things  we  see 
Are  shadows  of  the  things  to  be; 

That  what  we  plan  we  build; 
That  every  hope  that  hath  been  crossed, 
That  every  dream  we  thought  was  lost, 

In  Heaven  shall  be  fulfilled. 

Phoebe  Cary. 

There  shall  never   he  one  lost  good;    what  was  shall 

live  as  before; 
The  evil  is  null,  is  naught,  is  silence  implying  sound; 
What  was  good  shall  be  good,  with,  for  evil,  so  much 

good  more; 
On  the  earth,  the  broken  arcs;    in  the  heaven  a  perfect 

round. 

Robert  Browning. 

Patient  Father,  bless  to  our  good  the  day's  inter- 
ruptions. So  little  remains  cf  our  day's  plans  at 
evening  time.  Counter  currents  have  beset  us  and 
our  work  seems  so  broken  and  incomplete.  But 
Lord,  our  incompleteness  fits  the  pattern  of  Thy 
purpose.  The  currents  that  thwart  our  day  are 
poured  from  the  hollow  of  Thy  hand.  Give  us 
patience  to  take  all  of  life  as  from  Thee.  Save  us 
from  insistence  on  our  own  way  as  best.  May  we 
recognize  the  gentle  pressure  of  the  Father's  guiding 
hand,  and  may  we  know  that  the  pieces  of  our  broken 
life  are  being  gathered  up  into  His  completeness. 
Thus  may  we  rest  in  Thee.  May  our  confidence 
in  Thy  never-failing  goodness  bring  us  peace.  We 
now  lie  down  to  rest.  May  we  sleep  sweetly  while 
Thou  dost  knit  up  our  ravelings  of  the  day.     Amen. 

W.  D.  Platt. 


Xotonufccv  10  323 


What  is  the  very  sweetest  memory  of  childhood  ? 
Let  me  put  it  into  a  picture:  the  day  is  done.  The 
evening  shadows  are  falling  rapidly  over  field  and  wood 
and  home.  The  tired  limbs  have  come  from  school  and 
finished  play,  and  the  shadow  of  the  great  world  has 
made  shadows  in  a  tired  little  heart.  Then,  with  a  true 
instinct,  you  have  sought  the  old  rocking  chair  beside 
the  fire  where  mother  sits,  and  you  have  climbed  into 
her  lap  and  nestled  your  head  against  her  bosom. 
No  lesson  now,  no  play,  no  toil.  You  sit  there,  and 
do  not  say  a  word,  while  the  great  love  of  the  mother  s 
heart  flows  into  your  heart  and  gives  you  peace.  How 
good  to  climb  sometimes  into  God's  lap,  lay  your  head 
upon  his  bosom,  listen  to  the  inarticulate  divine  lullaby, 
while  all  the  love  of  God  flows  in  and  gives  you  peace. 

George  L.  Perin. 

Our  Father,  with  cheerful  and  joyful  hearts  we 
would  come  to  Thee  who  art  the  source  of  all  our 
blessings.  Protect  us  and  sustain  us,  and  under  the 
shadow  of  Thy  wing  let  us  rest  and  trust.  May  we 
know  that  love  which  casteth  out  all  fear,  may  we 
have  that  faith  which  never  wavers,  that  hope  which 
accepts  the  night  as  the  day.  Thou  hast  brought 
us  safely  through  another  day,  and  again  we  seek 
the  still  hour  of  meditation.  Lift  up  our  minds, 
warm  our  affections,  and  deepen  within  us  the  feelings 
of  reverence,  of  gratitude,  of  trust,  and  guide  all  the 
longings  of  our  hearts  to  the  true  source  of  peace. 
Amen. 

Joshua  Young. 


324  Nototwtor  17 


"He  shall  not  fail,  nor  he  discouraged  "  seems 

A  very  forest  oak  which  we  may  twine 

About,  and  reach  our  hands  as  the  woodbine 

Does  hers,  growing  upon  it  with  supremes 

Of  confidence,  looking  up  to   the  gleams 

Of  light,    which    through    the    windswayed    branches 

shine, 
Sure  that  this  tree  will  never  lay  supine 
In  dust,  leaving  us  crushed  and   in  extremes 
Of  need,  when  we  would  climb    up  to  the  height 
Of  our  full  strength.      Oh,  truth    of  comforting ! 
I  lay  my  tendril-disks  against  the    might 
Of  your  firm  strength,  feeling,  while  so  I  cling, 
Your  own  most  holy  life  transforming  mine, 
And  causing  my  exultant  soul  to  sing. 

Lois  Laurie. 

Father  in  Heaven,  we  read  in  Thy  word,  that  Thy 
servant,  whom  Thou  upholdest,  "  Shall  not  fail  nor 
be  discouraged,"  but  shall  accomplish  his  purposes, 
and  be  satisfied.  Help  us  to  be  so  faithful  in  Thy 
service  that  we  may  be  conscious  of  Thy  sustaining 
might,  and  so  rise  above  discouragement  into  the 
strength  that  wins  success.  Grant  that  at  the  close 
of  each  day  we  may  feel  that  we  have  been  about 
our  Father's  business,  and  that  our  labor  has  not 
been  in  vain.  Thus  shall  we  feel  secure,  and  we  shall 
rest  in  peace;  and  at  last,  when  days  and  nights  shall 
be  merged  in  the  light  of  the  everlasting  morning, 
may  we  see  of  the  travail  of  our  souls,  and  be  satisfied, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Henry  Loveli.  Canfield. 


ttfotamtttr  is  325 


After  all  the  kind  of  world  one  carries  about  in  one's 
self  is  the  important  thing,  and  the  world  outside 
takes  all  its  grace,  color  and  value  from  that. 

James  Russell  Lowell. 

Be  noble;   and  the  nobleness  that  lies 
In  other  men,  sleeping  but  never  dead, 
Will  rise  in  majesty  to  meet  thine  own; 
Then  shalt  thou  see  it  gleam  in  many  eyes, 
Then  will  pure  light  about  thy  way  be  shed, 
And  thou  wilt  nevermore  be  sad  and  lone. 

James  Russell  Lowell. 


Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  day  just  ending, 
for  the  beauty  in  Thy  world,  for  the  goodness  in 
life  and  for  the  love  of  all  our  brothers.  May  we 
carry  into  the  quiet  rest  of  the  night  the  benediction 
of  this  day.  May  all  our  dreams  be  pure  and  hope- 
ful. Protect  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart  in  sleep 
that  no  fears  may  come  to  disturb,  or  evil  imaginings 
to  stain,  the  soul.  On  the  morrow  give  us  the  courage 
to  face  our  tasks  without  fret  or  strain,  and  the 
vision  to  see  only  the  best  in  everybody  and  in  every- 
thing. Amen. 
Samuel  V.  V.  Holmes. 


326  Xototufctr  19 

Father,  whose  tenderness  has  wrapped  me  round 
In  a  great  need,  to  what  shall  I  compare 
Strength   Thou   hast  sent  in   answer  to  my  prayer  ? 
Not  to  the  help  some  falling  vine  has  found, 
That  trailing  listless  on  the  fallen  ground 
Clings  suddenly  to  some  high  trellis  there, 
Lifting  itself  once  more  into  the  air 
With  timid  tendrils  on  the  lattice  wound. 
Rather  to  help  the  drooping  plant  has  won, 
That  weary  with  the  beating  of  the  rains 
Feels  quickening  in  its  own  responsive  veins 
The  sudden  shining  of  a  distant  sun. 
When  from  within  the  strength  and  gladness  are, 
My  soul  knows  that  its  help  comes  from  afar. 

Alice  Wellington  Rollins. 

O  God,  all  our  springs  are  in  Thee.  Not  alone 
the  refreshing  dews  of  grace  awoke  us  with  the  dawn, 
but  the  gentle  sun  wooed  us  all  the  day  as  the  flower 
is  wooed  into  beauty  and  fragrance,  not  for  itself 
but  to  make  all  the  world  brighter.  Thou  dost 
enfold  us  at  twilight  for  our  silent  hour  of  meditation 
that  the  fruit  of  praise  and  prayer  may  the  better 
ripen.  Dawn,  noontide  and  twilight  are  all  full  of 
Thee.  Thou  dost  lift  up  our  head  after  sleep  and 
dost  rest  us  anew  on  Thy  bosom.  Thy  touch  gives 
both  strength  and  rest.  "  When  I  am  awake  I 
am  still  with  Thee,"  and  with  Thee  no  less  than  when 
I  sleep,  for  God  giveth  His  beloved  sleep.  It  is 
God's  kiss  upon  our  weary  brow,  albeit  the  storm 
may  come  as  it  did  to  our  sleeping  Master  and  danger 
as  to  Peter  sleeping  between  two  soldiers,  yet  God's 
whisper  is  one  of  peace.    Amen. 

E.  R.  Hendrix. 


Kofccmtier  20  327 


Heaven  is  not  reached  at  a  single  bound; 
But  we  build  the  ladder  by  which  we  rise 
From  the  lowly  earth  to  the  vaulted  skies, 
And  we  mount  to  the  summit  round  by  round. 

I  count  this  thing  to  be  grandly  true: 
That  a  noble  deed  is  a  step  toward  God, 
Lifting  the  soul  from  the  common  sod 
To  a  purer  air  and  a  broader  view. 

We  rise  by  things  that  are  under  our  feet, 
By  what  we  have  mastered  of  good  and  gain, 
By  the  pride  deposed  and  the  passion  slain 
And  the  vanquished   ills  that  we  hourly  meet. 

J.  G.  Holland. 


Our  Father,  this  day's  experiences,  whether  of 
sorrow  or  of  joy,  have  something  to  teach  us  of  Thee. 
Help  us  to  learn  their  lesson,  and  learning  it,  to 
stand  nearer  Thee  tonight  than  ever  before.  We 
know  it  is  our  own  deeds,  thoughts  and  desires,  which 
most  effectually  lift  us  up  or  drag  us  down.  We 
know  that  each  deed  of  this  day  has  left  its  result 
in  our  lives,  and  in  the  lives  of  our  fellow  beings. 
Therefore,  O  God,  forgive  the  wrong  we  have  done 
and  help  us  to  do  it  no  more.  Strengthen  us  in  the 
right,  and  grant  that  we  may  this  night  rest  with 
Thy  peace  abundant  in  our  hearts.    Amen. 

G.  I.  Keirm. 


328  Notonuticr  21 


Happy  the  man  that,  when  the  day  is  done, 

Lies  down  to  sleep  with  nothing  of  regret  — 
The  battle  he  has  fought  may  not  be  won  — 

The  fame  he  sought  be  just  as  fleeting  yet; 
Folding  at  last  his  hands  upon  his  breast, 

Happy  is  he,  if  hoary  and  forespent, 
He  sinks   into  the  last  eternal  rest, 

Breathing  these  only  words:   "  I  am  content." 

Eugene  Field. 


I  thank  Thee,  O  Thou  giver  of  the  peace  that 
passeth  all  understanding,  for  that  portion  of  sweet 
content  of  soul  which  Thou  hast  granted  me  at  the 
close  of  this  day.  It  has  not  been  a  day  of  work 
perfectly  done,  nor  of  duties  fully  accomplished. 
No  eye,  save  Thine,  may  mark  the  earnest  endeavor 
of  a  soul  that  has  honestly  tried  to  do  Thy  will; 
but  Thou  dost  consider,  and  if  Thou  dost  approve, 
I  shall  rest  in  peace.  Grant  unto  me  the  great  bless- 
ing of  quiet  slumber  this  night,  that  on  the  morrow, 
if  it  be  Thy  will,  I  may  show  forth,  with  refreshed 
and  gladdened  life,  far  more  of  Thy  glory;  and  grant 
that,  at  the  end  of  life's  journey,  I  may  enter  into 
that  perfect  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  children  of 
God.     Amen. 

Edward  Payson  Drew. 


ttfOiJCWtJCr  22  329 


A  mere  acceptance  of  the  fact  of  Love, 

Of  God  above, 
Of  all  the  vast  Omnipotence 
Of  Him,  our  Maker  and  Defence, 
Is  not  believing;    but  to  fight 
Aggressively  to  spread  His  light, 
To  strive  for  Him  incessantly,  without  relief, 
Unyielding  in  the  Right, 

That  is  Belief! 

John  Kendrick  Bangs. 


Dear  Father  of  all,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  love 
that  never  fails.  We  rejoice  in  the  power  that  makes 
all  things  work  together  for  the  good  of  Thy  children. 
Grant  us  a  true  Faith,  O  Lord,  that  stands  bravely 
for  the  right  against  the  wrong;  for  truth  against 
error;  and  that  deals  justly,  loves  mercy,  and  walks 
humbly  with  Thee.  Give  us  the  faith  that  Jesus 
had,  that  is  patient  under  all  discipline,  and  is  un- 
wearied in  its  service  of  others.  If  we  have  this  day 
failed  in  duty,  pardon  our  offences.  Make  us  Thy 
dutiful  children,  and  help  us  to  rest  in  Thy  love  and 
be  at  peace.     Amen. 

Frank   S.  Hunnewell. 


33°  TSTokemfitr  23 


To  Him  who  bears  I  whisper  all; 

And  sojtlier  than  the  dews  of  heaven 
The  tears  of  Christ's  compassion  fall; 

I  know  I  am  forgiven. 

Wrapped  in  the  peace  that  follows  prayer, 

I  fold  my  hands  in  perfect  trust, 
Forgetful  of  the  cross  I  hear 

Through  noonday  heat  and  dust. 

No  more  Life's  mysteries  vex  my  thought; 

No  cruel  doubts  disturb  my  breast; 
My  heavy-laden  spirit  sought 

And  found  the  promised  rest. 

Harriet  McEwen  Kimball. 

O  God,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  gift  of  Thy  wondrous 
compassion!  We  are  drawn  to  Thee  as  the  crocus 
is  to  the  light,  as  the  swinging  planet  to  the  sun,  as 
love  is  to  love.  How  good  Thou  art  to  us!  Thou 
dost  not  forget  our  name  is  Frailty,  and  that  oft  we 
fail  because  we  are  weak.  Thou  knowest  too  we 
have  not  done  so  well  as  we  purposed  and  wilt  re- 
member the  purpose  as  well  as  the  deed.  If  Thou 
wilt  forgive  aught  we  have  done  remiss  today,  to- 
morrow —  tomorrow,  we  shall  be  more  like  our  ideals 
and  prayers.  Let  us  rest  this  night  in  great  peace, 
as  birds  do  under  their  mother's  wings,  in  a  nest  of 
love.  When  we  wake  may  it  be  to  serve  Thee  better 
than  ever  before.     Amen. 

Eugene  M.   Antrim. 


Notmuljcr  24  331 


Watch  well  the  building  of  thy  dream  ! 

However  hopeless  it  may  seem, 
The  time  will  come  when   it  shall  be 

A  prison  or  a  home  for  thee. 

Winifred  Webb. 

God  appoints  to  every  one  of  His  creatures  a  separate 
mission;  and  if  they  discharge  it  honorably,  and  faith- 
fully follow  that  light  which  is  in  them,  there  will 
assuredly  come  of  it  such  burning  as,  according  to  its 
appointed  mode  and  measure,  shall  shine  before  men 
and  be  of  service,  constant  and  holy.  Degrees  infinite 
of  lustre  there  must  always  be;  but  the  weakest  among 
us  has  a  gift,  however  seemingly  trivial,  which  is 
peculiar  to  him,  and  which,  worthily  used,  will  be  a 
gift,  also,  to  his  race  forever.  John  Ruskin. 

We  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  for  home  and  health, 
for  the  adorned  earth,  interesting  toil,  and  the  steady 
cheer  of  each  day.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  cool  of 
evening,  the  quieting  curtain  of  night  and  delicious 
repose  for  wearied  bodies.  Help  us  learn  today's 
lessons  well.  Banish  torturing  envy  by  the  remem- 
brance that  the  Rewarder  will  notice  every  man's 
work.  Enable  us  to  regularly  do  our  best  and  then 
rest.  Smooth  away  all  sleep-breaking  worry.  Build 
faith  during  night's  stillness  so  that  morning  light 
may  find  us  ready  to  happily  take  up  our  own  tasks. 
Steady  our  tempers.  Tame  our  tongues.  Awaken 
our  ambition.  Enthuse  our  smallest  activities.  Lead 
us  into  all  our  open  doors  of  usefulness.  Bring  us 
to  life's  end  with  tired  hands  and  clean  heart,  for  the 
Great  Master's  sake.    Amen. 

Christian  F.   Reisner. 


Kofocmfier  25 


Would  you  find  a  cure  for  worry?  Believe  in  God 
Almighty.  Believe  that  this  world  belongs  to  God, 
that  you  belong  to  Him;  that,  come  what  will,  He  will 
take  care  of  you.  A  friend  of  mine  assures  me  that 
she  derives  great  comfort  from  this  simple  little  speech, 
which  she  makes  to  herself,  "  God  is  here;  I  will  trust 
Him."  And  it  is  a  good  speech  for  anyone  to  make. 
My  plans  have  failed, — ■"  Never  mind,  God  is  here; 
I  will  trust  Him."  My  fortune  is  lost, — "  Never 
mind,  God  is  here;  I  will  trust  Him."  Yes,  God  is 
here.  He  is  mine  and  I  am  His.  This  is  God's  world. 
I  am  God's  child.  "  Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I 
trust  Him."  "  Fear  hath  torment."  Trust  hath 
everlasting  peace. 

George  L.  Perin. 

We  thank  Thee,  our  Heavenly  Father,  for  the 
experiences  of  this  day.  They  are  filled  with  lessons 
for  us.  Some  of  them  have  been  hard  and  heavy, 
teaching  us  to  be  brave  and  strong.  Some  have 
brought  heartaches  and  tears  to  show  us  the  priceless 
value  of  love  and  sympathy.  Others  have  filled  us 
with  joy  and  gladness  as  they  come  in  kindly  deeds 
from  loving  friends.  Forgive  us  if  in  the  trials  of 
the  day  we  have  doubted  Thy  presence.  Helpus  to 
face  life  bravely  without  hurry  or  worry.  Give  us 
that  peace  which  is  born  of  trust.  As  the  little  child 
slips  its  hand  into  the  hand  of  a  mother  and  sinks 
into  sweet  sleep,  so  let  us  say  with  confidence,  "  My 
father  is  here;  I  will  not  be  afraid."     Amen. 

E.  L.   Conger. 


jSfototmfccr  20  333 


When  I  am  overmatched  by  petty  cares 
And  things  of  earth  loom  large,  and  look  to  be 
Of  moment,  how  it  soothes  and  comforts  me 

To  step   into  the  night  and  feel  the  airs 

Of  heaven  fan   my  cheek;    and,  best  of  all, 
Gaze  up  into  those  all-unchartered  seas 
Where  swim  the  stately  planets:    such  as  these: 

Make  mortal  fret  seem  slight  and  temporal. 

I  muse  on  what  of  life  may  stir  among 

Those  spaces  knowing  naught  of  metes  nor  bars; 
Undreamed  of  dramas  played  in  outmost  stars, 

And  lyrics  by  archangels  grandly  sung. 


Then,  dizzy  with  the  unspeakable  sights  above, 
Rebuked  by    Vast  on    Vast,  my  puny  heart 
Is  greatened  for  its  transitory  part, 

My  trouble  merged  in  wonder  and  in  love. 

Richard  Burton. 

Dear  Father,  we  are  glad  that  we  cannot  get  away 
from  Thee  on  any  sea  or  shore,  that  we  can  only 
forget  Thee  and  become  unconscious  of  Thee.  But, 
even  though  we  do  that,  we  are  glad  that  Thou  art 
close  by  us;  and  whenever  we  will,  if  we  turn  towards 
Thee,  Thou  wilt  come  to  meet  us  as  did  the  father 
of  the  prodigal,  and  we  may  fall  on  Thy  breast  and  be 
folded  in  the  everlasting  arms.     Amen. 

Minot  J.   Savage. 


334  Nototmticr  27 

How  beauty  fills  the  world ! 

Men  strive  and  sin, 
And  higher  heap  the  burden  of  Earth's  ill, 
And  weave  a  web  of  wrong  for  her,  —  and  still 

'Tts  beauty  fills  the  world. 

No  blot  i  n  all  the  world ! 
The  creeping  green, 
The  water  flashing  down   in  shining  ways, 
The  light  that  breaks  in  drenching  color  sprays, 
With  beauty  fill  the  world. 

If  beauty  fills  the  world, 
Then  all  is  said. 
The  secret  py  of  one  small  perfect  flower 
Were  proof  enough  of  God,  —  His  love,  His  power,  — 
And  beauty  fills  the  world ! 

Lily  A.  Long. 

O  God,  who  hast  made  this  beautiful  world,  and 
who  desirest  mankind  to  worship  Thee  in  the  beauty 
of  holiness,  we  lament  the  ugliness  of  sin  in  our  own 
hearts,  and  among  men  everywhere!  Wilt  Thou 
so  reveal  Thyself  to  us  that  the  love  of  Thee  that 
must  follow  will  cause  us  to  hate  sin,  and  put  it  away 
from  our  own  hearts,  and  to  toil  and  pray  for  the 
cleansing  of  other  hearts  from  sin's  defilement! 
Rest  us  tonight  with  the  thought  of  Thy  beautiful 
world,  and  the  beautiful  living  that  all  may  have 
who  take  Thy  Son  as  Saviour  and  Lord,  and  bring 
us  tomorrow's  tasks  made  beautiful  by  the  thought. 
Amen. 

C.  H.  Wheeler. 


Kotitmlier  28  335 


//  /  lay  waste  and  wither  up  with  doubt 

The  blessed  fields  of  heaven  where  once  my  faith 

Possessed  itself  serenely  safe  from  death; 

If  I  deny  the  things  past  finding  out; 

Or  if  I  orphan   my  own  soul  of  One 

That  seemed  a  Father,  and  make  void  the  place 

Within  me  where  lie  dwelt  in  power  and  grace, 

What  do  I  gain  by  what  I  have  undone  ? 

W.  D.  Howells. 


Father  in  Heaven,  I  quiet  my  soul  in  Thy  presence 
before  sleep.  I  love  Thee;  I  open  my  heart  to  Thee; 
I  bathe  my  spirit  in  the  light  and  love  of  Thy  spirit. 
I  am  grateful  for  Thy  help  and  companionship 
during  the  day,  and  for  all  Thy  benefits.  Forgive 
what  has  been  weak  and  wrong  in  me  and  cleanse 
my  soul  from  all  evil.  Freshen  within,  O  my  God, 
the  consciousness  of  eternal  life,  so  that  I  may  rest 
as  secure  in  the  reality  of  unseen  things  as  in  the 
visible  world  about  me.  May  no  influence  out  of 
my  own  life,  or  from  unbelieving  men,  or  the  mystery 
and  suffering  of  the  world,  be  able  to  weaken  my 
faith  or  draw  my  soul  from  Thee.  I  now  commit 
myself  to  Thee  for  the  night.  While  physical  and  men- 
tal vigor  are  being  restored  during  sleep,  strengthen 
Thou  me  in  the  inner  life;  in  faith,  hope  and  love;  in 
power  to  meet  the  duties  and  emergencies  of  tomorrow: 
in  the  desire  to  live  for  the  good  of  the  world.     Amen. 

Worth  M.  Tippy. 


336  tUCotoemticr  29 


I  feared: 

My  heart  was  filled  with  great  disquietude, 

That   drove   me  through   each  day   in  troubled  mood. 

I  yearned 

For  strength  to  put  my  fear  to  rout; 

For  courage  firm  to  drive  my  terror  out. 

I  prayed: 

My  heart  besought  my  God  to  give  some  sign 

That  He  was  near.     And  His  soul  answered  mine. 

I  rose. 

"Fear  not,  for  I  am  with  you,"  God  had  said. 

I  grappled  with  my  fear.      I  won.      It  fled! 

Hazen  Conklin. 

My  Lord  and  My  Father,  since  Thou  hast  so 
graciously  promised,  why  should  I  fear  and  be  dis- 
quieted, since  Thou  art  my  strength,  why  should  not 
my  fears  be  put  to  flight  ?  As  Thy  servant  of  old 
rose  from  his  struggle  having  power  with  God  and 
man,  so,  because  my  spirit  responds  to  Thine,  I 
would  rise  to  share  Thy  matchless  power.  All  this 
day,  while  I  have  thought  I  was  self-directed,  Thou 
hast  continually  directed  me;  therefore  am  I  con- 
fident that  Thou  wilt  watch  over  and  protect  me  during 
my  unconscious  moments  of  the  night,  and,  with 
renewal  of  confidence  and  courage,  wilt  cause  me  to 
rise  on  the  morrow,  because  Thou  art  my  All  and  in 
All.     Amen. 

Thomas  Simms. 


isrofcemfccr  30  337 

After  the  darkness,  dawning, 

And  stir  of  the  rested  wing; 
Fresb  fragrance  from  the  meadow, 

Fresh  hope  on  everything  ! 

After  the  winter,  springtime 

And  dreams,  that  flower-like  throng; 

After  the  tempest,  silence; 
After  the  silence,  song. 

After  the  heat  of  anger, 

Love  that  all  life  enwraps; 
After  the  stress  of  battle, 

The  trumpet  sounding    "  taps." 

After  despair  and  doubting, 

A  faith  without  alloy, 
God  here  and  over  yonder,  — 

The  end  of  all  things,  —  joy. 

Florence  Earle  Coates. 

I  am  weary  tonight.  All  day  long  responsibility 
and  work  have  pressed  upon  me.  The  burden  has 
been  heavy,  and  when  I  saw  that  the  sun  was  setting, 
I  was  glad.  Make  this  a  good  night,  O  God,  a 
night  of  rest  and  of  restoration.  May  morning  find 
me  strong  again  and  brave,  weariness  gone  and  fears 
forgotten.  I  do  not  pray  for  songs  in  the  night,  but 
for  quiet  and  sleep.  In  the  morning  give  me  songs, 
O  God,  when  the  darkness  is  past  and  the  new  day 
calls  me  back  to  my  work.  My  care,  my  trial,  my 
toil,  my  temptation  —  to  all  these  let  me  go,  after 
the  quiet  and  rest  of  the  night,  with  a  brave  spirit  and 
a  singing  heart.     Amen. 

O.  C.   S.  Wallace. 


338  Dectmtjcr  l 


Smile  awhile, 

And  while  you  smile 

Another  smiles,  and  soon 

There's  miles  and  miles 

Of  smiles, 

And  life's  worth  while 

Because  you  smile. 

Anonymous. 

The  thing  that  goes  the  farthest 

Towards  making  life  worth  while, 
That  costs  the  least,  and  does  the  most, 

Is  just  a  pleasant  smile. 
The  smile  that  bubbles  from  a  heart, 

That  loves  its  fellow  men, 
Will  drive  away  the  cloud  of  gloom, 

And  coax  the  sun  again. 

Anonymous. 

Thou  Spirit  of  Love,  through  all  the  years  of  our 
lives,  we  have  lived  under  the  smile  of  Thy  counte- 
nance. Sometimes  we  have  forgotten  Thee,  and  have 
been  afraid.  Sometimes  we  have  been  ungrateful  to 
Thee  and  have  frowned  and  complained  at  Thy 
providence.  Tonight  in  grateful  remembrance  of 
Thy  love  and  the  gift  of  Thy  fair  world,  we  would 
forget  all  the  vexations  and  worries  of  life,  put  off  the 
frown  from  our  faces,  and  let  the  heart  smile.  O. 
let  us  be  glad  and  so  share  the  contagion  of  Thy 
gladness  and  radiate  to  other  lives  until  we  have 
helped  to  make  a  glad  and  happy  world.  So  shall 
we  be  disciples  of  Him  who  dried  the  widow's  tears 
and  bound  up  the  wounds  of  the  broken-hearted. 
Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


Beccmfcer  2  339 


Once  on  a  time  from  scenes  of  light 

An  angel  winged  its  fairy  flight. 

Down  to  earth  in  haste  he  came, 

And  wrote  in  lines  of  living  flame 

These  words  in  every  heart  he  met: 

"  Cheer  up,  cheer  up  !  be  not  discouraged  yet ! 

Then  back  to  heaven  with  speed  he  flew 

And  tuned  his  golden   harp  anew, 

And  all  the  joyful  throng  came  round 

To  listen  to  the  soul-ins pir in g  sound, 

And  heaven  was  filled  with  pure  delight, 

For  Hope  had  been  to  earth  that  night. 

Anonymous. 


Dear  Father,  Thy  tired  child  instinctively  turns 
to  Thee  tonight  ere  to  repose  I  go.  It  is  with  a 
joyous  feeling  of  thanksgiving  that  I  breathe  Thy 
holy  name.  All  hopes  have  not  been  realized,  all 
ideals  not  reached;  work  may  be  unappreciated, 
efforts  seemingly  futile,  prayers  unanswered.  Still, 
dear  Father,  I  am  not  afraid,  nor  discouraged,  nor 
cast  down;  for  I  know  that  no  effort  is  in  vain,  no 
ideals  but  are  blessings,  no  love  fruitless.  With  this 
assurance,  I  thank  Thee  for  this  day,  its  opportunities, 
its  work,  its  love,  its  success.  Yes,  Father,  for  its 
defeats,  if  I  but  learn  the  lesson  of  wisdom  which 
they  teach.  As  I  go  to  sleep,  Faith  in  Thy  goodness 
and  Hope  for  an  Eternal  Better  smile  down  upon  me, 
and  make  my  bed  a  couch  of  peace;  and  serene  I  am, 
in  the  consciousness  of  Thy  eternal  love.     Amen. 

U.    S.    MlLLBURN. 


340  Dtccmfocv  3 


We  do  not  know  whether  the  future  has  in  store  for  us 
calm  or  unrest.  We  cannot  know  beyond  peradventure 
whether  we  can  prevent  the  higher  races  from  losing 
their  nobler  traits  and  from  being  overwhelmed  by  the 
lower  races.  On  the  whole,  we  think  that  the  greatest 
victories  are  to  be  won,  the  greatest  deeds  yet  to  be  done, 
and  that  there  are  yet  in  store  for  our  peoples  and  for 
the  causes  that  we  uphold  grander  triumphs  than  have 
ever  yet  been  scored.  But  be  this  as  it  may,  we  gladly 
agree  that  the  one  plain  duty  of  every  man  is  to  face 
the  future  as  he  faces  the  present,  regardless  of  what  it 
may  have  in  store  for  him,  and,  turning  toward  the 
light,  as  he  sees  the  light,  to  play  his  part  manfully, 
as  a  man  among  men. 

Theodore  Roosevelt. 

O  God,  our  Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  Thy  judg- 
ments. Thou  knowest  how  to  make  allowances  for 
us  and  when  to  be  severe  with  us,  but  Thou  art  never 
unjust  nor  unloving.  We  would  not  get  on  nor 
attain  our  highest,  heavenly  best  if  we  were  not 
judged.  But  men  do  not  know  enough  about  us  nor 
do  they  care  enough  for  us  to  judge  us  righteously 
or  to  our  noblest  profit.  We  blunde-r  when  we  judge 
ourselves,  either  we  are  too  lenient  or  too  exacting. 
But  Thy  judgments,  O  Father,  are  true  and  righteous 
altogether.  We  know  not  where  the  future  leads, 
but  it  is  always  safe  to  fight  Thy  battles.  Sure  at 
once  of  Thy  judgments  and  Thy  guidance,  let  us  face 
the  problems  of  each  day  bravely  and  hopefully. 
Amen. 

John  J.   Wallace. 


Btccmtjcr  4  341 


Let  your  strivings  then,  be  after  contentment.  Get 
out  of  each  passing  Jay  all  the  sweetness  there  is  in  it. 
Live  in  the  present  hour  as  much  as  possible,  and  if 
you  live  for  character  your  foundations  will  outlast 
tomorrow.  It  is  when  men  build  without  moral 
principle  that  they  need  fear  the  future. 

It  is  not  the  smallness  of  your  life,  but  the  quality 
of  it  that  is  important.  You  cannot  be  an  elm  or  an  oak, 
but  if  you  are  a  violet  under  a  maple,  drinking  in  the 
sunshine  and  the  dew,  you  should  be  content:  for  in  the 
providence  of  God  humble  lives  cheerfully  lived  have 
infinite  value, 

George  H.  Hepworth. 

Our  Father,  we  turn  to  Thee  in  this  closing  hour 
of  the  day  not  to  ask  for  larger  or  richer  blessings,  but 
to  gain  an  appreciation  of  the  place  and  the  life  that 
is  ours.  Oft-times  we  look  upon  our  simple  lives 
and  humble  tasks  with  failing  hearts,  wondering  if  we 
are  wanted  by  Thee  or  needed  by  Thee,  and  whether 
our  service  counts  in  Thy  great  economy.  Teach  us, 
our  God,  we  pray  Thee,  that  He  who  made  the  ocean 
shapes  the  dewdrop,that  He  who  fashioned  the  elm 
tree  paints  the  violet.  Then  shall  we  know  that, 
humble  though  we  are,  our  place  is  Thy  place,  our 
task  Thy  task,  our  lives  Thy  life.  So  may  we  close 
the  day  with  the  thought  that  if  we  are  faithful  over  a 
few  things,  we  may  enter  into  the  joy  of  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

Ira  A.  Priest. 


342  33cccmt>tr  5 


THE   VOICE   WITHIN 

At  dawn  it  called,  "  Go  forward  without  fear  ! 
All  paths  are  open;  choose  ye,  glad  and  free." 
"Through  morning's  toilsome  climb  it  urged  the  plea, — 
Nay,  halt  not,  though  the  path  ye  chose  grow  drear." 
At  noon  it  spake  aloud,  — "  Make  smooth  the  way 
For  other  feet.     Bend  to  thy  task,  though  weight 
Of  sorrow  press  thee.     Others  dower,  though  fate 
Deny  thy  secret  wish."     Through  later  day 
It  warns,  "  Climb  on!  Heights  woo  !  The  waning  light 
Bids  haste  !    Tet  scorn  not  those  who  lag  behind, 
Confused  by  lengthening  rays  that  clear  thy  sight, 
These,  too,  have  striv'n  all  day  their  way  to  find." 
At  eve,  when  flaming  sunset  fades,  Oh  hear 
Dawn's  echoing  call, "  Go  forward  without  fear." 

Anna  Garlin  Spencer. 

Our  Father,  my  Father!  Make  me  conscious  of 
my  eternal  son  ship  in  Thee,  that  now  while  the  day  is 
ending,  I  may  realize  that  I  live,  and  can  know  no 
death,  no  end!  Give  me  that  peace  in  sleep  that 
adds  strength  for  tomorrow's  task.  And  if  the  task 
grow  harder  make  me  the  more  gentle,  that  I  may 
live  as  I  pray,  seeking  not  to  rival  men  but  to  uplift 
them;  not  to  outshine  them,  but  to  shine  for  them. 
Aid  me  with  the  joyful  sense  that  Thou  and  I  are 
partners  in  a  common  work.  Inspire  me  with  the 
courage  that  controls,  not  because  it  sees,  but  believes; 
and  therefore  knows  that  Thy  work  and  mine  must 
reach  the  final  beauty  of  completion.  Give  me  Thy 
love,  the  "  perfect  love  that  casteth  out  fear."     Amen. 

Sydney  Herbert  Cox. 


DccemtJtv  o  343 

How  the  mountains  rise  above  us  !  But  it  is  quite  in 
vain  that  the  spiritual  mountain  peaks  tear  their  heads 
above  us  if  they  never  incite  us  to  higher  living.  It  is 
from  the  high  points  of  noble  living  that  one's  finest 
visions  are  inspired.  Would  you  know  more  of  God? 
Toil  upward  from  the  oppressive  valleys  of  worldhness. 
Would  you  look  across  the  plains  of  time  and  see  where 
the  earth  and  heavens  meet?  Broaden  your  horizon 
by  standing  upon  higher  ground.  Stand  a  few  tunes 
upon  the  high  ground  of  great  thoughts;  stand,  some- 
times, upon  the  mountain-top  of  faith  where  all  the 
forests,  fields,  rivers,  lakes,  and  plains  of  experience 
meet  and  mingle  in  pictures  of  moral  beauty  which 
leave  their  charm  upon  the  soul;  stand  there  and  God 
shall  speak  to  you,  and  you  shall  know  the  mystery  of 
the  Transfiguration. 

George  L.  Perin. 

O  Father,  now  that  the  toils  of  the  day  are  over, 
and  the  silence  of  night  falls  upon  the  world,  let  us 
raise  our  thoughts  to  Thee,  and  in  communion  with 
Thee  find  peace.  Let  us  be  among  those  who  live 
on  the  heights  —  on  the  hills  whence  cometh  our 
help.  As  children  knowing  they  are  cared  for, 
guarded,  surrounded  by  watchful  love,  may  we  with  a 
quiet  mind  put  our  trust  in  Thee.  Here  may  there  be 
to  us  as  to  one  of  old  a  ladder  joining  earth  and  sky,  and 
here  may  there  go  up  the  story  of  gratitude  and  prayer, 
and  come  down  a  message  to  each  of  strength  for  the 
weak  and  of  peace  to  the  troubled.  May  life  be  to  us 
like  one  long  day  of  joyful  service,  and  at  its  eventide 
may  we  say  "  Now  we  lay  us  down  to  sleep,  for  only 
Thou,  Lord,  watchest  us  to  dwell  in  safety."    Amen. 

James  DeNormandie. 


344  3Ptccmtjrr  7 

//  song  is  born  within  your  heart  — ■ 

Then,  like  a  lark  on  soaring  wing, 
Untouched  by  rules  and  schools  of  art, 

In  sooth  you  can  not  help  but  sing. 
Behold  the  bird,  untrained,  untaught, 

What  music  from   his  throat  is  flung, — 
E'en  so,  the  song  by  you   unsought 

Will  fall  in   sweetness  from -your  tongue. 

If  song  within  your  breast  is  born, 

Not  all  the  strife  of  street  or  mart, 
Nor  cold  neglect  nor  smile  of  scorn 

Can  drive  its  magic  from  your  heart. 
Though  years  that  come  and  years  that  go 

Their  burdens  to  your  soul  may  bring, 
Through  all  the  work,  through  all  the  woe, 

The  singer  can   not  help  but  sing. 

Denis  A.  McCarthy. 

God  our  Maker,  who  giveth  songs  in  the  night,  we 
look  to  Thee  for  spiritual  refreshment.  At  the  close 
of  the  day,  Thou  hast  the  power  to  take  us  from  a 
world  of  work  and  noise  and  confusion  into  a  world  of 
peace  and  song  and  contentment.  May  we  be 
disposed  to  add  our  joyful  notes  to  the  whole  creation's 
vesper  hymn  of  gladness.  If  the  coming  years  lead 
us  into  a  strange  land,  may  we  not  forget  how  to  sing 
the  Lord's  song.  For  the  exile  who  remembers  Thee 
and  is  accompanied  by  Thy  love  never  has  cause  to 
hang  his  harp  upon  the  willow.  He  feels  at  home  in 
Thy  universe  always  and  everywhere  because  Thy 
song  is  in  his  heart.  Therefore,  may  Thy  statutes  be 
our  song  day  and  night.     Amen. 

Reignold  K.  Marvin. 


Bcceroticv  8  345 


"  Why  should  I  wish  to  see  God  any  more  than  this  day? 
I  see  something  of  God  each  hour  of  the  twenty-four 

and  each  moment  then, 
In  the  faces  of  men  and  women  I  see  God  and  in  my 

own  face  in  the  glass, 
I  find  letters  from  God  dropt  in  the  street,  and  every  one 

is  signed  by  God's  name, 
And  I  leave  them  where  they  are,  for  I  know  that 

wheresoe'er    I    go    others    will    punctually    come 

forever  and  ever." 

Walt  Whitman. 

Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  Thou  art  our 
light  and  our  salvation.  Thou  art  the  strength  of 
our  life.  Thou  art  ever  pouring  upon  Thy  children 
streams  of  blessing.  We  look  at  Thee  and  the  spiritual 
universe  through  a  glass  darkly;  we  look  through 
our  bodily  limitations  and  infirmities,  but  much  of 
our  darkness  is  made  by  our  vain  imaginations  and 
desires.  Shine  into  our  darkness  and  lend  us  Thine 
aid  and  may  we  by  earnest  search  and  diligent  study 
seek  for  that  illumination  of  mind,  and  docility  of 
heart  which  shall  make  us  sensitive  to  Thy  leadership. 
Give  us  life  and  healing  and  freedom.  Give  us 
discernment  that  we  may  learn  to  read  Thy  letters 
left  for  us  everywhere  in  this  fair  world.  So  shalt 
Thou  speak  to  us  when  no  voice  is  and  we  shall  know 
that  we  are  not  alone.     Amen. 

D.  Dorchester,  Jr. 


346  Bcctmticr  9 


There  is  no  war  between  the  Old  and  New; 
The  conflict  is  between  the  False  and  True. 

Henry  van  Dyke. 


//  the  riddle  of  life  is  too  much  for  you,  if  the  mystery 
of  evil  tortures  you  too  keenly,  if,  like  J.  S.  Mill,  you 
cannot  —  simply  cannot  —  reconcile  Omnipotence  with 
Love,  then  —  may  I  say  it?  ■ — /  have  passed  through 
the  storm  and  know  it  —  then,  as  it  were,  shut  your 
teeth,  and  force  your  emotions  to  obey  your  head.  Say: 
"  God  is  Love.  I  can't  feel  it,  and  I  don't  feel  it;  but, 
logically,  it  must  be  so." 

Basil  Wilberforce. 


O  Lord  of  Hosts,  we  lift  our  eyes  to  the  glory  of 
Thine  evening  skies,  and  Thou  art  there!  Thou 
wast  in  the  dawn  and  the  noonday,  and  we  knew 
Thee  not.  But  now  the  tides  of  life  ebb  with  Thy 
waning  light,  and  leave  our  heartshores  bare  and 
desolate.  We  cry  to  Thee!  O  Thou  of  the  dawn 
and  the  noontide,  we  can  see  Thee  now.  Thy  glory 
descends  within  our  ken.  Life  is  bare  and  desolate 
no  more.  Though  day  must  die  and  tides  must  flow, 
Thou  art  the  promise  of  the  morrow.  Gather  us, 
we  pray  Thee,  as  Thou  gatherest  Thy  light  out  of  the 
skies  and  bring  us  to  Thine  eternal  dawn  with  Thee. 
Amen. 

William   S.  Mitchell. 


Demurer  10  347 


To  veer  how  vain!     On,  onward  strain, 
Brave  barks!     In  light,  in   darkness  too; 

Through  winds  and  waves  one  compass  guides; 
To  that,  and  your  own  selves,  be  true. 

Clough. 

In  the  darkest  night,  my  child, 
Canst  thou  see  the  Right,  my  child  ? 

Forward  then  !  God  is  near. 
The  right  will  be  light  to  thee, 
Armour  and  might  to  thee; 

Forward !   and  never  fear." 

Norman  MacLeod. 


Father  in  Heaven,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  day  that 
is  now  past.  We  thank  Thee  for  Thy  power,  inca- 
pable of  wearying;  for  Thy  wisdom,  incapable  of 
blundering;  for  Thy  love,  incapable  of  upbraiding. 
We  know  not  what  the  night  may  have  in  store  for  us. 
We  know  not  the  final  issues  of  tomorrow  —  its 
trials,  its  sorrows  and  its  joys.  One  thing  we  know, 
if  the  sparrow  cannot  fall  to  the  ground  without  the 
notice  of  the  Father,  we  shall  not  forgotten  be. 
Therefore,  in  loneliness  Thy  presence  will  cheer  us; 
in  temptation  Thy  power  will  sustain  us;  in  sorrow 
Thy  love  will  comfort  us;  in  weakness  we  shall  feel 
the  undergirding  of  the  everlasting  arms.  Forgive 
us  the  mistakes  of  the  day,  consecrate  what  we  are, 
and  order  what  we  shall  be.     Amen. 

Adna  Wright  Leonard. 


348  IBcccmtor  n 

What  is  thy  thought  ?      There  is  no  miracle  ? 

There  is  a  great  one,  which  thou  hast  not  read, 

And  never  shall  escape.      Thyself,  0  man, 

Thou   art  the  miracle.      Ay,  thou  thyself, 

Being  in  the  world  and  of  the  world,  thyself, 

Hast    breathed   in    breath   from   Him   that   made   the 

world. 
Thou  art  thy  Father  s  copy  of  Himself,  — 
Thou  art  thy  Father  s  Miracle. 

Jean  Ingelow. 

Patience  with  God  is  conscious  self-surrender  to  the 
eternal  purpose.  It  is  a  gentle,  tender,  mighty  trust; 
it  is  a  quenchless  assurance,  an  inextinguishable  con- 
viction that  the  Infinite  and  Universal  Parent  Spirit 
has  begotten  His  own  nature  in  us,  and  that  all  men 
are  safe  in  His  Almighty  care. 

Basil  Wilberforce. 

Heavenly  Father,  the  day  palls  upon  us.  Tired, 
we  would  rest  awhile  in  Thee.  From  Thy  abundance, 
both  of  might  and  wise  control,  we  would  draw 
sustenance  and  hope.  Into  the  night  we  fearlessly 
go  because  Thou  art  there,  whose  power  has  wrought 
through  the  day.  Yet  deeper  feeling  of  intimacy 
with  Thee  struggles  to  our  lips  and  we  go  to  contented 
slumber  in  the  care  of  our  Father.  The  heavenly 
throng  of  stars  is  not  more  constant  than  Thy  love. 
No  turning  of  errant  mind,  no  miasm  of  wayward 
will  shall  break  Thy  constancy.  In  filial  confidence 
we  abide  with  Thee  until  the  freshening  day  shall 
find  us  at  labor  in  Thy  vineyard.    Amen. 

L.  Ward  Brigham. 


Utcemfitr  12  349 

My  hands  that  were  reaching  so  eagerly  out 

Have  closed  on  the  hilt  of  a  star; 
My  eyes  that  were  scanning  the  waters  of  doubt 

Have  vistoned  the  harbor  afar. 

My  heart  that  sickened  of  shadow  and  greed, 

That  wearied  of  wantons  of  woe, 
Has  found  the  road  to  the  distant  mead 

Where  the  roses  with  radiance  glow. 

Tired,  I  turn  from  the  toiling  throng 
And  the  harvests  of  gloom  they  glean. 

Oh,  the  wind  of  the  heights  in  my  face  is  strong 
With  the  sweetness  of  things  unseen. 

In  the  silence  of  thought  a  lamp  I  clutch, 

A  glistening,  wonderful  globe, 
And,  laved  in   its  glory,  I  kneel  to  touch 

The  hem  of  the  seamless  robe. 

Mary  J.  Elmendorf. 

Protecting  Power,  while  night  cometh  in,  in  which 
no  man  can  work,  we  tu  rn  homeward,  in  our  thoughts, 
to  Thee.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  divine  quest  on 
which  Thou  sendest  us  from  day  to  day.  We  thank 
Thee  also  for  every  blessed  refuge,  every  place  where 
rest  and  new  inspiration  and  fresh  courage  may  be 
found,  which  life  offers  us.  May  we  be  strengthened 
and  heartened  during  the  hours  of  quietness  that  lie 
before  us,  and  awake  to  go  forth,  filled  with  cheerful- 
ness, sympathy,  and  good-will,  and  eager  to  be  true 
shepherds  of  mankind.     Amen. 

Roger  S.  Forbes. 


CO 


^o  Bcccm&cv  13 


/  would  be  true,  for  there  are  those  who  trust  me; 

I  would  be  pure,  for  there  are  those  who  care; 
I  would  be  strong,  for  there  is  much  to  suffer; 

I  would  be  brave,  for  there  is  much  to  dare. 

I  would  be  friend  of  all  —  the  foe  —  the  friendless; 

I  would  be  giving,  and  forget  the  gift; 
I  would  be  humble,  for  I  know  my  weakness; 

I  would  look  up  —  and  laugh  — ■  and  love  —  and  lift. 
Howard  Arnold  Walter. 


Our  Heavenly  Father,  before  we  turn  out  the  lights 
we  would  pause  for  a  moment  to  review  the  day.  We 
have  wanted  to  be  true  for  the  sake  of  those  who  have 
trusted  us.  We  have  tried  to  be  pure  for  the  sake  of 
those  who  care.  In  the  face  of  weakness  and 
cowardice,  we  have  tried  to  be  strong  and  brave. 
We  have  tried  to  extend  the  hand  of  friendship  to  all 
the  friendless,  to  give  where  the  gift  was  needed. 
Tonight  we  would  make  no  boast  of  our  achievement 
but  simply  ask  that  Thou  wouldst  bless  the  day. 
If  we  have  failed,  let  us  not  be  discouraged,  but  make 
us  ready  to  go  forth  into  another  day  prepared  to 
look  up,  and  love,  and  lift.     Amen. 

George  L.  Perin. 


December  14  351 

"  Do  ye  think  of  the  hopes  that  are  gone,  Jeame, 

As  ye  sit  by  your  fire  at  night? 
Did  ye  gather  them   up  as  they  faded  fast, 

Like  buds  with  an  early  blight?" 
"  /  think  of  the  hopes  that  are  gone,  Robin, 

And  I  mourn   not  their  stay  was  fleet ; 
For  they  fell  as  the  leaves  of  the  red  rose  fall, 

And  were  even  in  falling  sweet!" 

Do  ye  think  of  the  friends  that  are  gone,  'Jeanie, 

As  ye  sit  by  your  fire  at  night  ? 
Do  ye  wish  they  were  round  you   again  once  more 

By  the  hearth  that  they  made  so  bright  ?  " 
"  I  think  of  the  friends  that  are  gone,  Robin, 

They  are  dear  to  my  heart  as  then  ; 
But  the  best  and  the  dearest  among  them  all 

I  have  never  wished  back  again  !  " 

Dora  Greenwell. 

Truly,  O  Eternal  One,  our  lives  are  made  up  of 
vanishings  and  vicissitudes,  and  memory  is  ever 
adding  to  her  store  of  things  that  were  and  are  not. 
But  it  is  even  more  true  that  these  seeming  losses 
leave  us  not  emptier  but  fuller  and  richer.  For  what 
was  best  and  most  vital  in  them  we  continue  to 
possess,  leaving  only  the  "  outgrown  shell  by  life's 
unresting  sea;  "  while  our  advance  is  one  career  of 
acquisition,  ever  heaping  up  treasures  new  and  old. 
We  thank  Thee,  Father,  for  all,  only  asking  for  the 
wisdom  to  discern  the  gain  within  the  loss,  to  trans- 
mute the  pain  and  bitterness  into  power,  and  to  grow 
ever  gentler,  finer,  sweeter  under  the  touch  of  disci- 
pline, and  to  be  grateful  for  a  faith  which  enables  us 
to  feel  sure  Thou  doest  all  things  well.     Amen. 

C.  Ellwood  Nash. 


352  Bectmiitr  15 

/  used  to  reach  home  about  the  time  our  little  girl 
of  four  was  going  to  bed.  Often  I  would  spend  a  half 
hour  at  her  bedside  telling  her  stories.  At  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  story-telling  I  would  hear  her  prayer  and 
leave  her  for  the  night.  On  one  of  these  occasions  she 
asked  many  questions  about  God.  As  she  was  a 
timid  child,  I  tried  particularly  to  emphasize  the 
thought  of  God's  presence  with  her.  As  I  was  ready 
to  leave,  she  asked,  "  Will  you  please  light  the  gas 
before  you  go  ?  "  "  Oh  no,"  said  I,  "you  don't  need 
the  gas,  for  God  is  xvith  you  all  the  time."  "  Even  in 
the  dark  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Yes,"  I  said,  "  all  the  time, 
even  in  the  dark."  Then  she  drew  a  long  sigh  and 
replied,  "  Well,  I'd  rather  have  gas  than  God." 
Dear  child,  how  like  the  rest  of  the  world  she  was. 
The  light  was  near  and  she  could  understand  it,  while 
in  spite  of  all  my  efforts  God  was  far  away.  Many  a 
man  would  rather  have  gold  than  God.  He  under- 
stands one,  he  doesn't  understand  the  other.  The 
lesson  of  trust  comes  later.  There  comes  a  time  in 
each  life  when  gold  will  not  buy  comfort,  nor  gas  light 
the  way.     Then  God  speaks. 

George  L.  Perin. 

Heavenly  Father,  In  the  confusion  of  this  day  I 
lost  Thy  presence.  Now  my  reason  hesitates  while 
hope  cries  out  above  the  blinding  lessons  of  experience. 
O  Father,  in  Thy  white  light  of  Eternity  there  lurks 
no  shadow.  Let  Thy  love  rekindle  the  glow  of 
sympathy  in  my  heart.  Let  Thy  wisdom  light  my 
candle  of  faith,  then  I  will  walk  even  in  the  Shadow 
of  Death  and  fear  no  evil,  for  I  shall  know  that  Thou 
art  with  me.     Amen. 

J.  Van   Neice  Bandy. 


Bccemtor  16  353 


Night's  curtain  falleth,  cold  and  dark  and  drear; 
Heavy  my  heart,  and  sore  beset  with  fear. 
When,  lo,  a  message  flashes  o'er  the  deep  — 
/  will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace,  and  sleep." 

Why  should  I  fear,  when  Thou  art  ever  nigh, 
Thine  ear  alert  whene'er  Thy  children  cry? 
Shall  I  not  trust  ?     Thy  promises  are  sure; 
If  Thou  in  safety  keep,  I  am  secure. 

0  Love  that  rulest  over  land  and  sea, 

1  would  be  always  close  attuned  to  Thee ! 

0  Shepherd  who  dost  ever  vigil  keep, 

1  will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace,  and  sleep! 

Myra  B.  Lord. 


Father,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  leading  by  things 
withheld.  We  thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast  not  yielded 
to  our  impatient  pleadings,  but  hast  kept  within 
Thine  own  hands  some  things  on  which  we  had  set 
our  heart.  But  we  thank  Thee,  too,  that  Thy 
withholding  is  not  Thy  denying;  that  with  the  sweet 
guile  of  love  Thou  dost  but  lure  us  on  to  the  better 
gifts  and  the  larger  havings  that  our  eyes,  hot  with 
the  dusts  of  earth,  and  blinded  by  the  glare  of  the 
world,  have  failed  to  see.  May  we  lie  down  to  our 
rest  this  night  in  the  glad  consciousness  that  whatever 
life  has  missed  this  day  of  things  desired,  it  has  not 
missed  Thee,  who  art  better  than  all  things.     Amen. 

Joseph  Kennard  Wilson. 


354  Becnutier  17 

The  Isles  of  Quiet  he  beyond  the  years. 
Hoar  prophets  say  it;  yet,  for  all  the  tears, 
I  doubt  the  saying  of  the  seers. 

I  think  that  whoso  seeks  them   here  shall  find; 
That  all  with  open,  patient  heart  and  mind 
Shall  drink  of  peace  from  sun  and  wind; 

Shall  make  their  own  the  hymn  of  rest  begun 
When  shadows  say  the  summer  day  is  done, 
And  sky  and  field  are  growing  one. 

Idler  the  fancy,  closer  it  may  cling; 
Yet  I  believe  the  wide  air's  murmuring, 
The  sweet  far  song  the  thrushes  sing. 

John  Vance  Cheney. 

Dear  Father,  from  the  absorbing  occupations  of  the 
.busy  day,  we  return  to  Thee.  Our  feet  are  weary  and 
our  hands  are  tired,  but  we  are  grateful  for  the  help 
and  guidance  that  have  never  failed.  Now,  after 
toil,  we  look  to  Thee  for  rest.  After  perplexity  and 
distractions,  we  look  to  Thee  for  peace.  In  the 
falling  of  the  twilight,  in  the  hush  of  the  evening, 
while  the  darkness  closes  round  us,  we  wish  to  realize 
Thine  enveloping  Spirit  and  to  feel  the  consciousness 
of  Thy  compassionate  and  protecting  love.  Remove 
from  our  hearts,  we  pray,  all  foolish  anxiety.  Let 
us  be  contented  with  our  many  blessings,  and  do 
good  with  what  we  have.  Let  this  night  bring  sweet 
sleep  and  calm  repose.  May  we  gather  strength  for 
new  endeavors,  and  courage  for  nobler  aims.  In 
perfect  trust,  we  would  leave  all  to  Thee.     Amen, 

John   Clarence  Lee. 


fflectmttcr  18  355 

/  fear  no  more  the  coming  years, 
What  they  may  bring. 
Days  will  be  sunless,   night  bereft  of  stars; 
Mayhap  the  brightest  blossoms  of  the  spring 

Shall  first  be  bound  with  winter  s  icy  bars; 
But  still  beyond  the  cloud  is  always  light. 
The  stars  are  in  the  sky  all  night, 
And  deepest  snows  are  those  which  hide  the  bright 
Green  heart  of  spring. 

And  if  the  rugged  road  of  life 
Doth  wind  around 
The  mountain  side  where  heavy  clouds  hang  low, 
And,  as  I  climb,  the  pilgrim  staff  be  changed 

Into  a  cross,  still  onward  would  I  go  ! 
The  peaks  of  only  highest  mountains  rise 
Above  the  clouds  to  bluest  skies, 
And  round  the  heaviest  cross  is  hung  the  prize, 
The  brightest  crown. 

Amy  Seville  Wolff. 

Our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven,  we  know  that  Thou 
dost  wish  us  to  bear  the  fruit  of  Christian  discipleship. 
There  are  so  many  around  us  who  need,  as  we  often- 
times do,  encouragement  in  ambition  and  cheer  in 
toil,  comfort  in  sorrow,  and  faith  in  doubt,  and 
strength  in  the  time  of  temptation.  Help  us,  our 
Father,  to  give  something  of  good  each  day  for  the 
supplying  of  these  human  needs.  We  know  Thy 
love  is  round  about  all  Thy  children.  May  we 
feel  this  night,  as  we  close  our  eyes  in  sleep,  that 
Thou  art  with  us,  loving  us  with  an  infinite  love,  and 
guarding  us  with  tenderest  care.     Amen. 

Charles  H.  Puffer. 


356  Brcnutict  19 

Turn  all  to  love,  poor  soul; 

Be  love  thy  watch  and  ward ; 
Be  love  thy  starting-point,  thy  goal, 

And  thy  reward. 

Christina  G.  Rossetti. 

The  happiness  of  life  is  made  up  of  minute  fractions — 
the  little  soon-forgotten  charities  of  a  kiss,  a  smile, 
a  kind  look,  a  heartfelt  compliment  in  the  disguise  of 
a  playful  raillery,  and  the  countless  other  infinites simals 
of  pleasurable  thought  and  genial  feeling. 

Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge. 

Dear  Father,  in  this  sacred  evening  hour,  we 
rejoice  in  the  thought  that  we  give  ourselves  to  Thee 
for  the  hours  of  the  night.  By  day  we  are  conscious 
of  out  life,  at  night  Thou  alone  art  conscious 
of  our  existence.  As  we  look  back  upon  the  van- 
ished   day    that    now    is  ended,    we    ask    ourselves, 

Have  we  lived  a  life  of  love  today  ?  Have  we 
ministered  to  those  who  are  dear  to  us  ?  "  We  know 
that  love  is  the  greatest  gift  Thou  hast  given  us.  In 
those  hours  when  the  mystery  of  life  and  the  universe 
overwhelm  us,  when  the  tragedies  of  life  perplex  our 
minds  and  pain  our  hearts,  we  know  that  Love  — 
in  us  for  others,  and  from  others  to  ourselves  —  is 
the  supreme  witness  that  Thou  lovest  us.  Help  us 
to  love  more!  Nothing  is  small  to  love!  Father, 
may  the  benediction  of  loving  thoughts,  loving 
words,  loving  deeds  of  the  day  that  is  gone  rest 
upon  our  souls  tonight!  Awakened  to  a  new  day 
may  we  know  that  our  greatest  privilege  and  our 
greatest  joy  is  to  serve.     Amen. 

Henry  Blanchard. 


Bcccmtier  20  357 


Fear  not  your  doubt. 

Receive  it  frankly  as  a  friend. 
Swing  wide  the  door,  let  it  go  in  or  out; 

Make  no  attempt  to  force  or  fend. 
Fear  not  for  truth, 

Or  that  your  doubt  will  shake  the  sure. 
Truth  triumphs  in  eternal  youth. 

The  form  may  change,  the  fact  must  still  endure. 
In  truth  have  faith. 

Its  gold  no  acid-doubting  can  corrode. 
Reality  can  fear  no  wraith. 

Conviction  falls  not  with  the  crumbling  code. 
Then  let  doubt  come  and  let  doubt  go; 

Fear    not    the    outcome,  —  truth    must   show. 
Charles  W.  Casson. 

We  thank  Thee,  our  Heavenly  Father,  for  the 
knowledge  that  Thy  truths  are  like  the  everlasting 
mountains,  and  that  our  doubts  are  like  the  mists 
that  hide  them.  We  pray  Thee  for  Thy  compassion 
and  Thy  truth  in  the  hour  of  doubt,  lest  we  lose  the 
vast  and  valuable  reality  for  the  sake  of  the  transient 
darkness.  By  Thy  grace,  make  our  very  doubts 
Thy  ministers  to  bring  us  back  to  Thee.  Through 
our  loneliness  and  fears,  make  us  to  appreciate  the 
joy  of  Thy  presence  and  Thy  peace.  Through 
the  desert  poverty  of  our  doubt,  teach  us  to  love 
the  holier  flowers  in  the  garden  of  the  Lord. 
Forbid,  we  earnestly  beseech  Thee,  that  we  bring 
ourselves  under  the  power  of  doubt  through  the 
blindness  of  our  sins.  Help  us  to  walk  like  our 
Lord  Jesus  continually  in  Thy  gracious  presence  that 
we  may  know  Thee  by  Thy  living  voice  and  by  Thy 
loving  touch.     Amen. 

Herbert  S.  Johnson. 


358  Btcetttfitr  21 


/  walk  in  the  stillness  of  the  night, 

And  my  soul  uttereth  her  gladness. 

0  Night,  still,  odorous  Night,  I  love  thee! 

0  wide,  spacious  Night,  I  love  thee! 

0  steadfast,  glorious  Night! 

1  touch  thee  with  my  hands; 
I  lean   against  thy  strength; 
I  am  comforted. 

0  fathomless,  soothing  Night! 
Thou   art  a  balm  to  my  restless  spirit, 

1  nestle  gratefully  in  thy  bosom, 
Dark,  gracious  mother! 

Like  a  dove,  I  rest  in  thy  bosom. 

Helen  Keller. 


O  Thou!  unseen  by  me,  that  like  a  child 
Tries  in  the  night  to  find  its  mother's  heart, 
And  weeping  wanders  only  more  apart, 

Not  knowing  in  the  darkness  that  she  smiled  — 

Thou,  all  unseen,  dost  hear  my  tired  cry, 

As  I,  in  darkness  of  a  half  belief, 

Grope  for  Thy  heart,  in  love  and  doubt  and  grief: 
O  Lord!  speak  soon  to  me — "  Lo,  here  am  I," 

Margaret  Deland. 


! 


December  22  359 

/  have  a  song  within  my  heart 

That  I  shall   never  sing. 
I  know  'tis  there,  for  I  can  feel 

Its  joyous  fluttering. 
Just  how  it  goes  I  do  not  know; 

And  what  it  is  about, 
Though  I  have  tried  and  tried  again, 

I  cannot  quite  make  out. 
But  this  I  know:  when  days  are  dark, 

And  sullen  is  the  air, 
It  does  not  vex  my  soul  at  all, 

Because  that  song  is  there. 

John  Kendrick  Bangs. 

Almighty  God,  we  thank  Thee  for  the  benediction 
of  the  night,  and  for  Thy  gracious  gift  of  sleep.  Even 
as  the  darkness  steals  across  the  troubled  earth  to 
quiet  its  tumult  and  confusion,  so  we  pray  Thee  that 
Thy  soothing  spirit  may  steal  across  our  restless 
hearts  and  bring  us  peace.  In  the  deep  silence, 
O  God,  may  we  hear  within  our  souls  Thy  voice, 
teaching  us  of  truth  and  righteousness  and  love, 
warning  us  of  error  and  sin,  singing  to  us  the  song  of 
cheer  and  hope.  In  the  hours  of  light  and  gladness, 
we  know  that  Thou  art  with  us,  and  are  unafraid. 
Bid  us  also,  our  Father,  to  fear  nothing  in  the  hours 
of  darkness  and  temptation.  The  night  comes, 
and  we  see  the  glistening  of  the  watching  stars  and 
hear  the  music  of  their  wheeling  spheres.  So,  dear 
Father,  when  the  night  of  sorrow  is  upon  us,  may  we 
behold  the  glory  of  Thy  near  presence,  and  hear  the 
mighty  music  of  Thy  brooding  Spirit.     Amen. 

John  Haynes  Holmes. 


36o  Dcccmtjcr  23 


THE    EVERLASTING .  ARM 

"  And  underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms." 

Deut.  xxxiii  :  27. 


Our  Father  who  art,  —  in  heaven  and  on  earth! 
without  whom  is  death  in  life,  and  with  whom  is 
life  even  in  death: 

"  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep;  " 
I  need  not  pray:  "  my  soul  to  keep," 
Because  I  know  that  I  am  safe  from  harm, 
Since  underneath  is  still  Thy  Everlasting  Arm. 

Charles  Fleischer. 


Brtemtiet  24  36*- 

The  stars  gleamed  soft  on  Jidda's  plain, 

The  night  winds  whispered  low, 
While  angels  carolled  their  sweet  refrain 
And  radiance  streamed  below. 
Heaven's  glad  hosts  sang, 
Heaven  s  arches  rang 
With  joy  on  that  wondrous  morn; 
Bright  seraphs  sped 
To  the  manger-bed 
Where  the  Lord  of  all  was  born. 

Over  earth's  shadows  are  ringing  yet 

The  notes  of  celestial  song, 
The  voices  of  angels  and  men  are  met 
And  praises  high  prolong; 
Oh  love  untold, 
Hope  manifold, 
'Joy  of  each  Christmas  morn  ! 
With  succor  strong, 
In  hearts  that  long 
Shall  the  Lord  of  all  be  born. 

Mary  Danforth  Dodge. 

O  Father,  we  see  that  our  lives  are  the  world  into 
which  the  Christ  needs  —  and  is  destined  —  to  be 
born.  It  is  not  there,  in  far  Judea,  but  here  in  our 
heartJ,  we  should  listen  for  the  Advent  song.  Our 
selfishness,  our  barrenness,  our  fearfulness,  our 
peevishness,  all  call  for  a  Savior.  Would  that  this 
night  of  nights  might  be  the  very  one  of  his  coming! 
And  why  not  ?  No  miracle  is  requisite,  but  only 
surrender  of  our  wills  and  deep  self-immersion  in 
the  spirit  of  universal  love.  Thus  being  renewed 
in  trust,  loyalty,  good  cheer,  and  purity,  let  us  wel- 
come the  divine  stranger  as  an  abiding  guest.     Amen. 

C.  Ellwood  Nash. 


362  fflecctuficr  25 


There's  a  song  in   the  air, 

There's  a  star  in   the  sky, 

There's  a  mother's  deep  prayer 

And  a  baby's  low  cry; 
And  the  star  rains  its  fire  while  the  beautiful  sing, 
For  the  manger  of  Bethlehem  cradles  a  king. 

In  the  light  of  that  star 

Lie  the  ages  impearled, 

And  that  song  from  afar 

Has  swept  over  the  world. 
Every  hearth  is  aflame,  and  the  beautiful  sing, 
In  the  homes  of  the  nations,  that  Jesus  is  king. 

J.  G.  Holland. 

Dear  Father,  we  thank  Thee  that  the  evening  of  that 
first  Christmas  day  was  not  less  blessed  than  the 
morning;  that,  though  the  star  had  gone,  the  Light, 
in  whose  brightness  it  was  lost,  remained;  that, 
though  the  angel  choir  had  vanished  into  heaven, 
the  song,  and  the  Inspiration  of  the  song,  were  left 
on  earth;  that,  though  the  heavenly  messenger  had 
ceased  to  speak,  the  King  was  here  to  fulfil  the  "  good 
tidings,"  and  to  claim  His  own.  And  we  thank  Thee 
that  He  still  is  here.  Oh  help  us  to  receive  Him  as 
our  Light  of  lights,  our  King  of  kings;  and  give  us 
grace  to  sing  again  that  song  of  songs  —  the  "  Glory 
in  the  highest,"  and  the  "  Peace,  Good  Will."  So 
hallow  to  us  the  evening  of  our  Christmas  day.  Amen. 

Charles  R.  Tenney. 


Dtccwfccr  20  363 


Ring  out  the  old,  ring  "i   the  new, 

Ring,  happy  bells,  across  the  snow; 
The  1l  ear  is  going,  let  him  go; 

Ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the  true. 
Ring  out  the  grief  that  saps  the  mind, 

For  those  that  here  we  see  no  more; 
Ring  out  the  feud  of  rich  and  poor, 

Ring  in  redress  to  all  mankind. 

Ring  out  old  shapes  of  foul  disease; 

Ring  out  the  narrow  lust  of  gold; 
Ring  out  the  thousand  wars  of  old: 

Rtng  in  the  thousand  years  of  peace. 
Ring  in  the  valiant  man   and  free, 

The  larger  heart,  the  kindlier  hand; 
Ring  out  the  darkness  of  the  land, 

Ring  in  the  Christ  that  is  to  be. 

Alfred  Tennyson. 

O  Thou  great  Providence,  we  would  give  thanks  to 
Thee  at  this  time  for  the  message  of  the  bells.  They 
tell  us  as  never  before  that  the  Christ  is  in  the  life  of 
the  world,  that  earth  is  coming  nearer  Heaven.  In  all 
their  ringing  proclaiming  "  the  larger  heart,  the  kindlier 
hand  "  may  we  hear  Thee.  We  are  Thy  children, 
growing  better  because  Thou  art  with  us  more,  and 
we  are  more  with  Thee.  Deeper  into  our  conscious- 
ness sinks  the  fact  that  souls  obeying  their  natural 
tendencies  towards  higher  things  and  drawing  on 
the  Eternal  for  added  power  will  gain  a  truer  vision 
of  the  life  eternal  in  the  life  that  is.  Tonight  may  the 
bells  that  once  were  those  of  prophecy,  telling  of  the 
"  Christ  to  be,"  be  bells  of  realization,  telling  the 
greater  story  of"  the  Christ  that  is."     Amen. 

Lee  S.  McCollester. 


364  Dtcntitttv  27 


Fear  est  the  shadow  ?     Keep  thy  trust; 

Still  the  star-worlds  roll. 
Fear  est  death  ?  say  est,  "  Dust  to  dust  ?  " 

No;    say,  "Soul  to  soul." 

John  Vance  Cheney. 

/  believe  in  God  and  the  power  of  truth, 

In  the  wisdom  of  age  and  the  strength  of  Youth. 

I  believe  in  the  pure  heart  of  each  little  child, 

In  the  atom  of  worth   in   a  wretch  defiled. 

I  believe  in  man   and  womanhood; 

In  work  as  humanity's  greatest  good, 

I  believe  in  the  fight  till  victory's  won, 

And  a  smile  for  Death  when  Life  is  done. 

Cecilia  Hoerr  de  Packh. 


O  Thou,  who  causest  the  outgoings  of  the  morning 
and  evening  to  rejoice,  we  thank  Thee  for  this  day. 
In  the  weariness  of  the  evening,  however  great  the 
trial  or  the  burden  may  have  been,  help  us  to  find 
light  and  joy  and  peace  through  trust  in  Thee.  May 
love  be  translated  into  obedience  and  service.  May 
our  daily  work  be  not  a  burden  but  a  delight.  May 
the  joy  of  the  Lord  be  our  strength.  Thou  who 
turnest  even  the  shadow  of  death  into  the  morning 
and  lightenest  the  face  of  the  earth,  do  Thou  quicken 
our  hearts  and  illumine  our  way,  so  that  we  may  not 
walk  in  darkness  but  may  have  ever  the  light  of  life. 
Amen. 

Wilbur  P.   Thirkield. 


December  28  365 


All  day  I  seek  the  mean  reward 

That  falls  to  earthly  strife; 
All  day  the  thought  of  Thee,  0  Lord, 
Is  crowded  out  of  deed  and  word. 

Is  crowded  out  of  life. 

But  when  I  shake  my  spirit  free 

From  earthly  chains  at  night, 
The  vaulted  dusk  is  filled  with  Thee, 
And  every  star  becomes  to  me, 

A  holy  altar-light! 

Denis  A.  McCarthy. 


O  God!  I  cannot  ask  Thee  to  forgive; 

I  have  done  wrong. 
Thy  law  is  just;  Thy  law  must  live: 
Whoso  doth  wrong  must  suffer  pain. 
But  help  me  to  do  right  again, 
Again  be   strong. 
Amen. 
Charlotte  Perkins  Stetson. 


366  Becrmfocr  29 


In  a  sad  hour  I  have  seen,  through  the  window, 
mounted  on  a  rail  back  of  my  house,  one  of  those 
curious-eyed  little  sparrows.  And  he  was  a  better 
preacher  to  me  than  I  am  to  you.  It  was  winter,  and 
there  was  not  guaranteed  to  it  one  day's  food,  nor  any 
protection,  from  any  source  in  this  world.  It  was 
wholly  dependent  upon  its  God.  And  yet  it  sang,  — 
sang  for  its  own  hearing,  and  sang  for  my  rebuke,  say- 
ing to  me," Are  ye  not  much  more  than  IP  And  God 
thinks  of  me,  and  takes  care  of  me."  How  much 
there  is  in  the  voice  of  nature  if  we  only  knew  how 
to  interpret  it! 

Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


Almighty  God,  who  maketh  the  morning  and  the 
evening  to  rejoice,  beget  in  us,  Thy  children,  the  joy 
cf  Thy  presence.  All  nature  responds  to  Thy  sup- 
porting care.  The  flower  blooms,  the  bird  sings,  by 
thine  own  life-compelling  energy.  We  also  would 
be  responsive  to  Thy  guidance.  And  after  the  labor 
of  the  day  is  done  and  the  quiet  of  eventide  gives  rest 
to  all  Thy  creatures,  grant  that  we  may  share  the 
quieting  refreshing  stillness  of  the  Everlasting  Arms. 
Grant  us  Thy  peace  this  night.  Banish  all  turmoil  of 
spirit.  Stay  our  minds  on  Thee,  and  let  us  sleep  in 
the  consciousness  that  all  is  well  because  Thou  art 
lifting  upon  us  the  light  of  Thy  face.     Amen. 

Robert  MacDonald. 


Bcccmfcec  30  367 


Grow  old  along  with  me  ! 
The  best  is  yet  to  be, 

The  last  of  life,  for  which  the  first  was  made: 
Our  tunes  are  in  His  hand 
Who  saith,  "  A  whole  I  planned, 

Youth   shows   but   half;    trust     God:     see    all,    nor   be 
afraid  !  " 

So,  take  and  use  thy  work: 

Amend  what  flaws  may  lurk, 

What   strain    o'     the    stuff,   what    warpings    past   the 

aim  ! 
My  tunes  be  in  thy  hand! 
Perfect  the  cup  as  planned! 
Let   age   approve   of    youth,   and  death    complete   the 

same  ! 

Robert  Browning. 

O  Father,  we  thank  Thee  that  with  the  length- 
ening shadows  Thy  hand  is  still  guiding  us  through 
peace  to  light.  We  have  not  always  understood  the 
meaning  of  our  life,  but  Thou  hast  ever  been  our 
hope,  and  Thou  in  Thine  infinite  wisdom  hast  made 
us  for  Thyself.  Our  way  is  growing  brighter  with  the 
passing  years;  already  the  setting  sun  has  lavished 
gold  and  purple  upon  whatever  clouds  have  gathered, 
and  we  are  looking  forward  with  expectation  to  that 
which  is  best  of  all  —  Thy  presence  in  which  is  ful- 
ness of  joy.  With  Thee,  night  shall  be  no  more. 
Amen. 

Clifton  D.  Gray. 


368  l&tttmbtv  31 


How  the  stroke  of  twelve  at  night  makes  one  stop  and 
think!  It  is  a  little  more  impressive  than  any  other  hour 
of  the  day  jr  night.  Yet  more  impressive  is  the  passing 
of  a  year.  It  is  the  last  day  of  the  Old  Tear.  The 
clock  ticks  loud  as  if  by  the  swinging  of  the  pendulum  of 
fate.  One  waits  as  for  a  signal  to  launch  his  boat 
upon  an  unknown  sea  —  a  New  Tear.  He  knows 
not  what  storm  or  tide  may  catch  his  craft  nor  whither 
it  may  be  driven.  Tet  he  may  not  wait,  the  hour 
str'kes,  he  must  embark.  Ah,  then  he  needs  a  God, 
bigger  than  the  storms  and  winds  and  rocks,  a  God 
that  lives  and  stays  and  speaks. 

George  L.  Perin. 


O  God,  who  lurketh  in  the  star 

And  'neath  all  living  things  that  are, 

Grant  us  Thy  nearness.     Let  Thy  might 

Spell  itself  through  the  silent  night. 

In  midnight  skies,  or  restless  sea, 

Teach  us  to  find   some  touch  of  Thee. 

Teach  us  the   strength   of  the  swaying  pine, 

The  courage  to  sink  our  lives  in  Thine; 

And  in  duties  that  irk  and  worries  that  thrall 

To  find  Thee  waiting  behind  them  all. 

God  grant  that  in  lowliest  things  we  may  see 

Their  link  to  a   reasoned  Eternity. 

Now  the  New  Year  comes  and  the  Old  takes  flight; 

Dear  God  of  our  years,  be  close  tonightl 

Mary  Baldwin. 


NON-REFERT 


B:/  the  author  of"  The  Optimist's  Good  Night 


THE   OPTIMIST'S 
GOOD  MORNING 


By  FLORENCE   HOB ART  PERIN 

16mo.     Cloth.  White  and  gold. 

Limp  morocco. 


A  helpful  hook  for  anyone.  —  Chicago  Tribune. 

Contains  only  material  that  hreathes  of  hope  and  joy 
and  gladness.  —  New   York  Independent. 

A  beautiful  year  book  offering  a  noble  sentiment,  a 
hopeful  prayer  for  every  day.  — Louisville  Courier  Journal. 

I  want  to  thank  you  for  your  cheerful,  encouraging  book. 
It  wiii  help  a  great  many  people.  —  Dr.  Edward  Everett 
Hale. 

The  book  is  true  to  its  title,  and  many  will  find  in  it  a 
sure  aid  to  help  them  face  the  day  with  a  braver  heart. 
—  Westminster,  Philadelphia. 

A  year  book  worth  owning.  Every  page  has  two  or 
three  messages  of  cheer  from  the  words  of  great  thinkers 
and  a  prayer  by  one  who  knows  how  to  write  for  hearts 
that  yearn  to  look  upward  and  with  hopefulness.  -~ 
Baltimore  Sun. 

Draws  from  more  than  two  hundred  authors  for  its 
quotations  and  from  an  equal  number  for  its  prayers. 
It  has  a  page  for  each  day  of  the  year,  and  services  for 
nine  special  days.  A  beautiful,  helpful,  uplifting  vol- 
ume, one  of  the  best  of  its  kind  ever  printed.  —  Springfield 
Republican. 


LITTLE,  BROWN,  &  CO.,  Publishers 

34  Beacon  Street,  Boston 


/ 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


3  1205  02385  3441 


